Maria Menounos is apparently confident enough in her new Oxygen reality show she's quitting her day job.

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The Chasing Maria Menounos star and former fourteenth-season Dancing with the Stars contestant is leaving her job as an Extra co-host after being with the syndicated entertainment news show for just over two years, Us Weekly reported.

"Maria was 100 percent not fired," a source told Us. "The truth is, she decided months ago on her own to explore other options, as she knew her contract was coming up for renewal. She made this decision."

Chasing Maria Menounos just recently premiered on Tuesday, March 18.

"Maria has so much going on with her reality show, and she's happy that she has so many options to explore right now," the source added.

Rumors have been circulating part of the reason behind Menounos' departure was because she was clashing with her Extra co-host Mario Lopez. However, an insider told Us the staff at Extra's production company Telepictures was "supportive" of her decision to move forward with other career ventures.

"There is no bad energy," the source insisted.

A representative for Extra, which Menounos joined in 2011, reportedly declined comment "on talent contracts or negotiations." Menounos' representative also had no comment, according to the magazine.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.