Courtney Friel has been announced as Shana Hiatt's replacement as the presenter of World Poker Tour following a comprehensive appointment process.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Friel moved to LA where she studied a BA in Political Science with minors in Broadcast Journalism.

From there Friel moved into network television and journalism with Channel One in Los Angeles, working as an anchor and reporter in Jackson, TN, and in the newsroom with KPSP in Palm Springs, California.

Respected as both a writer and interviewer, her entertainment reportage has been widely used on channels such as E! Entertainment Television, Nickelodeon and EBTV Gaming.

"I've done pretty much everything when it comes to reporting. I've lugged my own cameras, edited my own tape, even operated the teleprompter with my foot...just everything! All these skills, and more, I am hoping to bring to the fans of the WPT during the broadcasts," she said.

However, while Friel had the winning combination of intelligence, personality and beauty the shows producers were looking for, she needed to be sent to WPT boot camp for some additional work when she first arrived, as he had the most basic understanding of the game.