Florida News Center

(from TampaBay.com) - Like a pitbull with ADD, Clearwater-based infomercial guru Kevin Harrington always seems to have a dozen projects in play at once.

While helping wrestler Hulk Hogan develop a new career as a pitchman, he’s anticipating filming in October new editions of the ABC unscripted show Shark Tank, which has added comic/entrepreneur Jeff Foxworthy among the panel of business experts judging pitches.

And starting Aug. 31, he’ll bring partner and former WFLA-Ch. 8 anchor Gayle Guyardo along on a 20-city motivational speaking tour for female business people, Empower 180, that also features former American Idol judge Paula Abdul….Cont….

(from TampaBay.com) - Rod Carter knows what this looks like. When he debuts at 5 a.m. today as the new weekday morning anchor at WFLA-Ch. 8, many will assume it was part of a grand plan — returning to the Tampa station where he spent seven years as a reporter and fill-in anchor, after proving himself leading the morning newscasts at WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Ala. But Carter insists his reappearance after nearly three years is mere happy coincidence and good fortune, allowing him to nab a rare open anchor spot in the country’s 14th largest market after longtime host Gayle Guyardo’s departure last month….Cont….

(left image c/o WFLA.com) Former WFLA NBC 8 morning anchor Gayle Guyardo is back on TV in Tampa. She’s host of her own “show” now, Access Gayle™. The show, in classic infomercial style, which (as paraphrased from AccessGayle.com™) highlights the newest innovations in medical, health and beauty, green products and inventions. Access Gayle™ is aired Saturday mornings on WFTS ABC 28 from 9:53-9:58am, directly after WFTS’ morning newscast and ABC network morning children’s programming (what an interesting time slot for an infomercial…pardon me, Access Gayle™).

Watch the latest episode of Access Gayle™…the short sale edition! (NOTE: The phone number is intentionally left out of the video below)

(from TampaBay.com) - For the first time in nearly 20 years, when Gayle Guyardo speaks to Tampa Bay area TV viewers in March, she won’t be doing it on WFLA-Ch. 8. That’s because Guyardo is leaving WFLA today, starting an infomercial-style program called Access: Gayle.  And though she hoped to air it on her former TV home, the five-minute spots will begin airing instead as paid programming on WFTS-Ch. 28 the weekend of March 6 and 7….Cont….

CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO TRIBUTE FROM TBO.COM

(from TBO.com) - It may be an excuse to take a holiday but Friday is Gayle Guyardo Day in Tampa. Mayor Pam Iorio proclaimed the honor on Guyardo this morning on News Channel 8’s morning newscast. Guyardo is leaving WFLA, after 17 years.  She is going to host a series of short infomercials called “Access Gayle.”  Produced in Clearwater, these will air on various TV stations as paid programming. Iorio said she had woken up many mornings to watch Guyardo. She praised the Tampa native for being perky and ever positive. Guyardo was excited and grateful. She said she would display the proclamation in her new office. Guyardo’s last day at WFLA is Friday.

(from TBO.com) – Meteorologist Leigh Spann will join the “News Channel 8 Today” weekday morning newscasts beginning March 15. WFLA, Channel 8, News Director Don North made the announcement today. Spann replaces meteorologist Jen Hill who has decided to leave the station. She has said that she and her husband plan to move to the West Coast to be closer to her parents. “Leigh has experience on the morning show and has filled in many times,” North said. “We’re in good shape because of her experience. She starts the same day that Rod Carter becomes the morning anchor so there will be familiar faces on the newscast.” Carter, who worked at News Channel 8 for seven years before becoming an anchor in Birmingham, Ala, is coming back to replace Gayle Guyardo. Guyardo is leaving to become a syndicated talk show/infomerical host. Spann, 30, joined WFLA in 2007 and has been the weekend meteorologist on the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts….Cont….

Coverage of Saturday’s Gasparilla parade on WFLA was cut short, as strong winds and whipping rain pounded parade hosts, crew, and equipment. At the start of the parade, WFLA lost air coverage as Eagle 8 pilot Judd Chapin had to ground the station’s helicopter. By half way through the parade coverage, booth anchors Keith Cate and Gayle Guyardo lost audio feeds as wind driven rain seeped into audio equipment. Boom cameras hovering over parade floats and marching bands had to be tied down. After extended commercial breaks, parade street reporter Jennifer Leigh announced on-air that WFLA had decided to suspend coverage due to unsafe conditions and technical difficulties for WFLA staff.

On a side note, this was Keith Cate’s first time hosting and Gayle Guyardo’s final time hosting the Gasparilla parade. Cate replaces Bill Ratliff who retired from the station this past June. Guyardo is leaving the station this coming March to join a local production company.

Watch video below as conditions degrade and WFLA suspends coverage.

(from TampaBay.com) - Morning newscaster Gayle Guyardo (right #1) is resigning from Tampa NBC affiliate WFLA-Ch. 8 at the end of February to develop a hybrid entertainment/advertorial daytime TV show with Clearwater-based infomercial king Kevin Harrington.  Guyardo, who has worked at WFLA since 1993, said she has been developing the concept for about a year with Harrington, now appearing on ABC’s unscripted show about entrepreneurs called Shark Tank. Their show, tentatively scheduled to launch in September, has the working title Access: Gayle. In another surprise, WFLA will replace Guyardo with Rod Carter (right #2), a former reporter and fill-in anchor who left the station in 2007 for a morning anchor job in Birmingham, Ala…..Cont…..