Ashleigh Banfield is joining CNN's sister channel HLN to anchor her own prime-time legal program.
Banfield, 48, is replacing longtime HLN host Nancy Grace in the 8 p.m. ET hour Mondays through Thursdays. Grace's departure was announced earlier this year.
The move is part of a continuing revamp of HLN, returning the cable channel to the news-driven format of its days as CNN Headline News. While Banfield will express opinions her new program, she is not expected to be the kind of advocate that former prosecutor Grace has been.
"She will bring her legal experience and views to HLN prime, tackling the day's most pressing social and legal issues mixed with her own passionate point of view and spirited conversation," CNN Executive Vice President Ken Jautz told staffers in an email with the announcement. Jautz oversees HLN.
Banfield's new program will launch on Oct. 17. Her current CNN program "Legal View" will be replaced by a daily edition of "Inside Politics" with John King beginning Sept. 26. It will fill the noon Eastern time slot through the presidential election.
Banfield joined CNN in 2012 after stints at Court TV and MSNBC.
