Former singer of 98 Degrees becomes the new host of VH1's first morning show starting March 3, 2014
VH1’s first ever morning show has a new host and it's all happening in NYC. Nick Lachey, who burst onto the scene in the mid-nineties as the lead singer of the boy band 98 Degrees, began his stint as host of VH1’s Big Morning Buzz on March 3, 2014.
Since 98 Degrees broke up in 2003, Nick solidified his household-name status by co-starring with his then-wife Jessica Simpson on the early celebrity reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, and he also launched his solo career in 2003, with his most successful single to date being the 2006 hit song “What’s Left of Me” from the album of the same name. 98 Degrees, which has sold over 10 million records, reunited in 2012 after a 9-year hiatus, releasing an album called 2.0 and embarking on a sold-out U.S. tour in summer 2013 along with the bands Boyz II Men and New Kids on the Block.
In taking the lead at Big Morning Buzz, Lachey succeedsthe show’s original host Carrie Keagan, who led the show for 400 live episodes. Keagan announced her departure 10 days after airing her last show on December 20, 2013. For now, Lachey is only committed for the spring season, but that has the possibility of being extended. This is not the first time Lachey has served as host of a television show – in 2009 and 2010, he hosted three seasons of NBC’s singing competition show The Sing-Off. Furthermore, he produced a musical reality show called Taking the Stage which premiered on MTV in 2009, documenting the lives of high school performing arts students. Lachey also has a long-standing relationship with VH1, including his role on the Entertainment Council for the network’s Save the Music Foundation.
Big Morning Buzz is the only morning show that offers daily live music performance, in addition to delivering hot topics in entertainment news and inviting celebrity guests. Whereas Carrie Keagan regularly co-hosted with Australian TV personality Jason Dundas, Lachey will take on a revolving set of co-hosts throughout this spring season. For the show’s March 3rd premiere, the guest slate included a celeb interview with Sophia Bush, a musical performance by Grammy-nominated rock band The Fray, a host chat with Adrienne Bailon and Eden Grinshpan, and a lifestyle chat with entertainment reporters Jack Rico and Jackie Miranne. This past week’s guests included celeb interviews with Lori Loughlin, Wilmer Valderrama, Mekhi Phifer, Kristen Bell, and Chris Lowell, as well as live performances by Ledisi, Bad Things featuring Shaun White, Sara Evans, Scars on 45, and The National.
The show is filmed live at VH1’s Times Square Studios at One Astor Plaza in New York City, in the “Uptown Studio” where MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL) was famously filmed throughout that show’s run from 1998 to 2008. 15 years ago, Nick Lachey was a frequent guest of TRL with his band 98 Degrees, and he now returns to the studio that launched his career – but this time he is the one asking the questions.
