Alexandra Ann McLeod was born on December 21,1968 and is an American television host and entertainment news correspondent best known for being the original host of TLC's hit cable show Trading Spaces.
27 Facts About Alex McLeod
1.
2.
Alex McLeod got her start as a comedic actress and hosted the first forty episodes of the reality-based home improvement series that launched the makeover show phenomenon.
3.
Alex McLeod's father was a politician and real estate developer and her mother a teacher.
4.
Alex McLeod began acting at UCLA, where she took acting and film, history classes.
5.
From 1996 to 1998 Alex McLeod spent two seasons as the sidekick to British TV personality Johnny Vaughan, engaging in interviews with A-list film stars, reporting movie news from Los Angeles, and performing in comedy sketches satirizing the entertainment industry.
6.
In 1999 Alex McLeod went on to perform comedy sketches for the cable show IZ, which aired late night and on the internet, the web site formerly named IZ.
7.
When she decided to leave the show in the summer of 2001, McLeod told Newsweek she chose to "lay down her own paintbrush" and leave her Alex-cam and the demanding road schedule behind.
8.
In 2003, Alex McLeod landed a guest co-host spot for two episodes on ABC's all-female talk show, The View as a candidate to fill outgoing host, Lisa Ling's chair.
9.
Alex McLeod's appearance was used again in another episode of The View featuring "Strong Women".
10.
Alex McLeod guest hosted on 20th Century Fox's nationally syndicated morning show, Good Day Live.
11.
Alex McLeod has appeared as a celebrity guest on Soap Talk on Soapnet and was a celebrity guest panelist on The Test on FX.
12.
Alex McLeod has been featured in publications such as Newsweek, and Entertainment Weekly.
13.
From 2003 to 2004, Alex McLeod covered numerous movie premieres as a red-carpet correspondent for Starz Movie News.
14.
Alex McLeod hosted The Weekend, a weekend of academy award-winning movies celebrating Oscar winners past and present.
15.
In 2008, Alex McLeod worked as a red-carpet correspondent for the TV Guide Network's Hollywood 411 daily entertainment news show.
16.
In 2012, Alex McLeod hosted a television pilot based on the popular food blog, "The Chocolate Tourist" shot on location in Brussels, Belgium.
17.
In 2010 Alex McLeod graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and has consulted for leading food companies like Viva Food Group, Yeenin Frozen Foods, and Contessa Premium Foods, where she spent most of her time in the test kitchen transforming gold standard recipes into commercially viable convenience meal concepts.
18.
In 2011, Alex McLeod entered her first food competition and lead the Contessa culinary team to win the 2nd place People's Choice Award at The University of Houston Frontier Fiesta Chili Competition.
19.
Alex McLeod has been actively involved with several charities in Southern California and she has said giving back to her community has been what she considers one of her greatest accomplishments.
20.
SInce 2001, Alex McLeod has worked as a fundraiser for several charity events benefiting UNICEF and she has given motivational speeches in K-12 schools to encourage America's children to help children at risk in developing nations as part of UNICEF's annual "Trick or Treat" campaign.
21.
Since 2004, Alex McLeod has lent her home-improvement skills to many Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity Blitz Builds over the years including a Power Women, Power Tools Build hosted by First Lady of California, Maria Shriver.
22.
Alex McLeod spent several weeks with the recipients and personally delivered the items with Moody Memorial church volunteers.
23.
In 2007, Alex McLeod participated in the Los Angeles Habitat for Humanity-Jimmy Carter Work Project as a volunteer builder and co-host of a reception honoring 39th President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.
24.
In 2008 Alex McLeod returned to Galveston to help other hurricane families hardest hit by Ike, both as an emcee and fundraiser for a Hurricane Ike benefit concert for the Moody Gardens Hotel featuring the Beach Boys.
25.
Alex McLeod traveled to Haiti in 2011 with Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles and partners to gain firsthand knowledge of the effects of the 2010 devastating earthquake and the ongoing needs of Haitian people.
26.
In 2013, Alex McLeod hosted a women's luncheon and fundraiser in Palos Verdes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Greater LA benefiting Habitat for Humanity International's Haitian rebuilding efforts in the Santo and Simon-Pele communities near Port Au Prince.
27.
Alex McLeod is a board member of GRID Alternatives LA and recently teamed with California Governor Jerry Brown and other local politicians in 2013 at a Long Beach solar panel installation in support of California's Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes program, which provides low-income families with solar energy.