Television host, Billy Bush is set to make his return to television tonight after a three-year hiatus following his 2016 termination from Today. Bush was fired from the NBC morning show in 2016 after a recorded conversation between Bush and Donald Trump during a 2005 taping of Access Hollywood revealed lewd remarks about women.
Bush, 47, was a longtime host of Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live appearing as either a host or co-host from 2001 to 2016. The recording of Trump, from the set of Days of Our Lives, captured the future president suggesting that his celebrity status granted him special access to beautiful women. “I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her,” Trump said to Bush, possibly unaware that he was being recorded. “You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
Bush, the nephew of President George H.W. Bush and first cousin of President George W. Bush, can be heard on the recording encouraging Trump, something he later attributed to immature “locker room talk.” Trump further touted his unfettered prowess with women by stating he could even grope a woman and he would not face consequences. “Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything,” Trump said. Bush can be heard enthusiastically agreeing. “Whatever you want,” he said of Trump’s remarks.
After the tape of the 2005 conversation emerged during Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016, Bush readily admitted that he had taken part in the conversation. “Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed,” Bush said in October of 2016. “It’s no excuse, but this happened 11 years ago — I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along.” He was subsequently fired from his hosting duties at Today.
Having been absent from television since his departure from Today, Bush is slated to make his return to the Fox network as host of the retooled Extra, which will focus on celebrity stories and interviews. “We all have to be able to evolve as we grow,” Bush said after the announcement in May. “The guy that left the scene in 2016 was already a changed person [since 2005], but I had the opportunity to grow up a little bit. Facing adversity in some way is good. And I feel I’ll be better at my job than I ever was. This is my next step.”
Extra will premiere with Bush at the helm on Tuesday evening across Fox’s local affiliates.
