Guyardo leaving News Channel 8

The face of WFLA's morning newscast is leaving after 17 years at the helm.

Gayle Guyardo is leaving at the end of February to create a syndicated talk show called "Access Gayle."

Rod Carter, a former WFLA news reporter and news anchor, will return to News Channel 8 in March and anchor the morning show.

Guyardo is developing her talk show with Kevin Harrington, known nationally as a judge on ABC's "Shark Tank" and who has made millions marketing everything from Ginsu knives to Tony Little's fitness equipment.

Guyardo said the program will be produced at Harrington's studios at the ICOT Center in Clearwater and will focus on features, human interest stories, entertainment and shopping.

Guyardo and Harrington are in active talks with WFLA to broadcast the 30-minute program weekdays.
"This would be starting out at a local level and trying to grow legs," Guyardo said Wednesday.

Guyardo, a Tampa native, has been a mainstay as News Channel 8 morning anchor since 1993 when she joined Bill Ratliff, who retired last year.

"It's a huge leap of faith because I've been in the same comfort zone for 17 years," Guyardo said.
Guyardo said she's going to miss her colleagues and the viewers that have always reached out to her.

"They always seemed to be there," Guyardo said. "They are the wind beneath my wings. I really appreciate my viewers."

Before arriving at WFLA, she graduated from Auburn University and first worked in broadcast for a Montgomery, Ala., station. She later moved to help launch a Sarasota television station. While there, she was spotted by WFLA management and hired.

"I really wish she wouldn't leave, but in my experience as a news director, I've found that when morning anchors say the schedule has caught up with them, I don't argue," said Don North, WFLA news director.

"News Channel 8 has benefitted from Gayle's commitment to this tough schedule for 17 years," North said.

As sorry as he is to see Guyardo leave, North is equally happy to have Carter back on staff.

"It's great," he said.

From 2000-'07, Carter was a reporter and fill-in anchor for News Channel 8. He left to become the morning co-anchor for WVTM in Birmingham, Ala., a WFLA sister station.

"I'm excited about returning to the Bay area," Carter said. "It'll be like having a cup of coffee with friends in the morning. I'm happy to come to home to Florida."