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Rumors recently surfaced that Season V WPT Hostess Sabina Gadecki would not be returning for Season VI. For whatever reason, the World Poker Tour would be turning to its fourth hostess in four years. So far neither Courtney Friel or Sabina Gadecki have been able to fill the high-heeled shoes of Shana Hiatt.
The poker world would have to wait until the final table of the Mirage Poker Showdown before seeing the new hostess, but PokerNews caught up with her a day early as she taped her first segments for the WPT. We are pleased to announce that the new hostess is — drumroll, please — Layla Kayleigh.
The first question on the minds of most fans — how does Kayleigh compare to those who came before her?
Shana Hiatt (Seasons I-III) was the incredibly-hot-but-seemingly-accessible girl next door. Courtney Friel (Season IV) was the attractive broadcast journalist. And Sabina Gadecki (Season V) was our sweet and innocent younger sister. Layla Kayleigh (Season VI) creates a new category of WPT hostess — one that radiates sex appeal. Not just with her looks, but with her attitude and personality.
Born and raised in London to parents with a diverse ethnic background (she is a mix of Caucasian, African, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern ancestry), this beautiful brunette will bring a bit of international flair to the World Poker Tour. While Layla is young (23 years old) and petite (5'3' tall), she's not innocent or naive — this is a girl who knows who she is and can take care of herself. She can be sexy without going too far, and vivacious without being an airhead.
She also has plenty of on-camera experience, serving as a host on MTV2 in Britain, and as a correspondent for ABC Football and 'The Best Damn Sports Show Period.' Layla currently hosts a segment called 'The Feed' on the G4 network, where she reports on the latest tech news, and she can be heard weekly on the 'Covino and Rich Show,' which broadcasts on Sirius Maxim Radio. If that's not enough, she has a role in the upcoming film, 'A Simple Promise,' set to be released later this year.
In late 2005, she was tapped to be a political correspondent on Al Gore's fledgling cable network, Current TV. But when Current TV learned she had posed for a sexy spread in Maxim magazine, she was promptly fired. She later told Maxim that she had no regrets, pointing out that the network wasn't as progressive as it claimed, and that hers was 'the voice of women who can be sexy, smart, and intelligent while posing in lingerie.'
Layla's introduction to the poker world came in the summer of 2006, when she was invited to play in (and report on) a charity tournament sponsored by Stuff Magazine. She was a true poker rookie at that point, but after interviewing Jennifer Tilly, the actress/WSOP bracelet winner would spend three hours teaching Layla the basics of the game. Once the tournament began, Layla found herself seated next to the legendary Johnny Chan, and he took her under his wing that night and taught her some of the finer points of the game. The Tilly-Chan system served her well, and Layla played her way to the final table.
The World Poker Tour recently contacted her about potentially hosting their sixth season, and Layla went through five separate auditions, feeling less confident about her chances each time. To her surprise, she was offered the job, and she happily accepted. WPT Executive Vice President Robyn Moder calls Layla 'energetic, intelligent and strikingly beautiful — the perfect combination to engage WPT fans.'
Taping her first segments out in front of the Mirage Tuesday night, Layla is definitely comfortable in front of a camera. She thinks quickly on her feet, and seems to have a bit of an edge to her. If Sabina had a flaw at all, it was that she exuded purity and innocence — and poker isn't an innocent game. It's dark, and it has an edgy quality that makes it much cooler than games like chess or backgammon. Layla can tap into that edginess.
Tonight will be her first test as the new hostess, presiding over the first WPT final table of Season VI. Will she be able to crack Phil Ivey's media-proof shell? Can she get online pros Cory Carroll and Darrell Dicken to open up? Will she draw more viewers to the show when it switches to GSN? Ultimately, we won't know the answers until her episodes air, sometime in 2008. Layla knows that the previous two hostesses were let go after a single season, and she plans to work hard so she'll be asked back for Season VII.
World Poker Tour Hostess British
Nobody will ever be able to fill Shana's shoes — she was one of a kind. But Shana has moved on to another show, so it's time we moved on as well. If we let Layla be herself, she could potentially do more for the show than even the return of Shana Hiatt.
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“May all your cards be live and your pots be monsters.”At one time, every World Poker Tour broadcast ended with this iconic quote. That’s likely to change with the upcoming Season XVI.
That’s not because it has become somewhat dated, nor was there any kind of public uproar demanding a change. It’s simply because the iconic commentator who coined the phrase — Mike Sexton — is leaving.
Mike Sexton: Legendary player and host
Mike Sexton, the Poker Hall of Fame member and poker legend who has been the voice of the WPT since it launched in 2002, is dropping the mic. He’s walking away and taking this, and a myriad of other memorable poker phrases he made famous, with him.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the World Poker Tour since its inception in 2002,” Sexton said in a statement. “When the World Poker Tour launched, it was a dream come true. To be there from the beginning and see how the WPT changed the poker world forever by essentially turning poker into a televised sport has been amazing.”
The tight-knit poker community isn’t likely to forget Sexton’s contribution to the WPT, or the game as a whole, anytime soon. Partly because he’s not going too far. Sexton has signed up to become an executive with PartyPoker. He will apparently guide the international online poker site with an increasing interest in live events in the future.
A true poker champion
Sexton also won his first WPT title this past season at the WPT Montreal Main Event. This made him a member of the WPT Champions Club. It also made him eligible to play in the annual WPT Tournament of Champions. It’s the type of event that has Sexton’s name all over it. He’ll likely show up for it for years to come.
Sexton is a poker legend with more than $6.5 million in tournament winnings. Plus, he has titles from the biggest poker events in North America, including a WSOP bracelet.
He traveled regularly from Nevada to New Jersey and everywhere the WPT would go around the world. His enthusiasm for the game was evident with every broadcast. In fact, it helped put the WPT and the game itself on the map.
The WPT will not be the same without him. But of course, the show must go on.
The show must go on for the WPT
Sexton’s 15-year partner in the booth, Vince Van Patten, is sticking around. Plus, the host of the biting and entertaining WPT Raw Deal segment for the past seven years, a WPT title holder himself, Tony Dunst will be taking over for Sexton.
New World Poker Tour Hostess Confession Lynn Gilmartin Youtube Video
Dunst is all class. He represents the perfect choice to try and fill the shoes of a legend. Mostly because he won’t even try to.
“While I have substituted for Mike and Vince several times over the years, getting the call to take a position in the WPT commentary booth full time is an incredible opportunity,” Dunst said. “Mike Sexton set the standard for what it means to be an ambassador, and the positive impact he had on my career and the broader poker community cannot be overstated.
“I’m honored to be taking his seat in the booth next to the legendary Vince Van Patten; and while I intend to bring my own style to the position, Mike will be a lasting inspiration for how I carry myself and treat people within poker. The success and popularity of the World Poker Tour are the result of the culture he created here.”
His cards were live, his pots were monsters
In countless interviews over the years, Sexton has referred to his signature closing of each WPT broadcast as his trademark. He’d say that no matter where he was in the world, fans would walk by and shout it out to him.
The thing is, he never got tired of hearing it. Mostly because to him, it meant people were watching the show. The fact is, it meant they were watching him.
Even though Sexton is walking away from the WPT after 15 years, its clear they still will be, no matter where he goes.
Image by World Poker Tour used under license CC BY-ND 2.0