'Fashion Police' goes on hiatus after host departures

HOLLYWOOD, March 17 (UPI) -- E! announced Tuesday Fashion Police is taking a hiatus and won't return to television until September.

The move comes less than a week after comedian Kathy Griffin announced she's leaving the show and on the heels of longtime host Kelly Osbourne's departure.

The red carpet fashion critique show was previously scheduled to return March 30.

"We look forward to taking this opportunity to refresh the show before the next awards season," a statement from E! read. "Our talented co-hosts Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski, along with executive producer Melissa Rivers, will continue their roles as we evolve the show into its next chapter for the legions of Fashion Police fans around the world."

NBCUniversal Lifestyle Networks Group President Frances Berwick told The Hollywood Reporter three episodes slated to be shot this spring were scrapped altogether. When the show returns in the fall, it will include six or seven episodes tied to major red carpet events like the Emmys.

Osbourne left the show in late February after criticizing fellow host Giuliana Rancic for joking that actress Zendaya's dreadlocks probably smelled like weed and patchouli at the Oscars. Griffin said she left because her style didn't fit with the creative direction of the show.

"I felt like I was being forced to comment about pictures of beautiful women in perfect dresses and say bad things," Griffin said in an interview on The View.

"There's a lot that's frivolous about the whole Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe parade, and then at the heart of it, there's some great, creative work," Berwick said. "E! is not a network that takes itself seriously.

"To the extent that this has all gotten very intense and serious -- it's meant to be fun. When it stops being fun or if we think that we're offending or crossing a line, absolutely, that's the time to re-evaluate and that's what we're doing, frankly, with things like the mani cam."