Billy Bush

William Hall Bush, born on October 17, 1971, in Manhattan, New York, is an American media personality primarily recognized for his roles as a radio and television host. He is a member of the Bush family, being the son of Jonathan Bush, a banker, and Josephine Colwell Bush (née Bradley). His familial relations include his uncle, George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, and his cousins, George W. Bush, the 43rd President, and Jeb Bush, a former governor of Florida.

Bush attended St. Bernard's School in Manhattan for middle school and St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island, for high school. He completed his undergraduate studies at Colby College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies and government in 1994. During his time there, he was a four-year letterman and twice served as co-captain of the men's lacrosse team, known as the Mules. As of 2017, his collegiate athletic records placed him among the top contributors in points, goals, and assists in the program's history.

His early career in radio began with hosting afternoon and midday shows at WLKZ-FM in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and later at WARW-FM in Washington, D.C. In March 1997, he moved to WWZZ-FM (Z104) in Washington, D.C., where he hosted "Billy Bush and the Bush League Morning Show" until January 2001.

In television, Bush's initial work included hosting a brief NBC prime-time version of "Let's Make a Deal" in January 2003, and serving as a correspondent for WNBC-TV's "Today in New York." He joined "Access Hollywood" as the East Coast correspondent in December 2001 and was promoted to co-anchor in June 2004. During his tenure at "Access Hollywood," Bush covered major red carpet events such as the Golden Globes, Grammys, and Academy Awards. He hosted ABC's live pre-shows for the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Academy Awards and the 2006 Emmy Red Carpet Special.

Bush served as a reporter for NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and hosted segments for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In 2007, he hosted the NBC reality competition "Grease: You're the One that I Want!" and temporarily replaced Meredith Vieira on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in April 2008. He also co-hosted "The Miss Universe Pageant" in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2009, often sharing duties with Daisy Fuentes, Nancy O'Dell, Claudia Jordan, and Nadine Velazquez. Similarly, he co-hosted the "Miss USA" pageant in several years with various partners.

From September 2010 until October 2016, Bush co-hosted "Access Hollywood Live" alongside Kit Hoover. Additionally, he appeared in the 2010 film "Furry Vengeance" as a drill sergeant and lent his voice to a character in the 2014 Disney animated film "Big Hero 6." His television appearances include roles on shows such as "30 Rock" and "Donny!"

In May 2016, Bush was appointed as a co-host of the third hour of NBC's "Today," replacing Willie Geist. During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Bush interviewed Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte amid controversy regarding Lochte's claims of being robbed, which were later discredited.

A significant controversy arose in October 2016, when a videotape from 2005 surfaced showing Bush and Donald Trump engaged in a lewd conversation. The footage, recorded during an Access Hollywood interview promoting Trump's appearance on "Days of Our Lives," discussed attempts to seduce women, including a comment from Trump about grabbing women "by the pussy." Bush was present during the recording and was heard laughing and making comments. The release of the tape led to a public relations crisis for Bush, as he was at JFK Airport awaiting a flight when the story broke. He issued an apology and expressed regret for his words, acknowledging his immaturity at the time. Subsequently, NBC suspended Bush from "Today" on October 9, 2016, pending an internal review, and he was dismissed from the show by October 17, 2016.

From 2019 through 2025, Bush hosted "Extra," a syndicated newsmagazine television series that transitioned from NBC to Fox a year prior.