Tessa Barrera says she will exit KPRC 2’s “Houston Life” after nearly three years

Announcement made on-air as co-host signals shift toward family time and an undefined next step

Tessa Barrera, a co-host of KPRC 2’s weekday lifestyle program “Houston Life,” has announced she is leaving the show. The disclosure was made at the start of the March 25, 2026, broadcast, when Barrera told viewers she planned to step back to reassess her schedule and be more available to her family.

During her on-air remarks, Barrera described the change as a reset and said she wanted time to “reevaluate” and “stop,” adding that she expects to determine what comes next after a break. She also said she would like to remain connected to the program in some capacity over the long term, though not immediately, and indicated she intends to take time off.

Co-host Derrick Shore said on-air that Barrera would remain with the program for additional shows. A final on-air date has not been confirmed by the station in a public announcement, though reporting in Houston media circles has pointed to March 31, 2026, as her last day.

How Barrera’s role at “Houston Life” evolved

Barrera joined “Houston Life” as a permanent co-host in July 2023, after appearing as part of a rotating group of guest co-hosts following the departure of former co-host Courtney Zavala earlier that year. Her pairing with Shore formalized a hosting lineup for the daily 1 p.m. program, which features interviews, community segments and lifestyle coverage across the Houston area.

• July 31, 2023: Barrera was introduced as the show’s permanent co-host.

• December 2024: She left her morning radio position to focus full-time on “Houston Life.”

• March 25, 2026: Barrera announced on-air that she is departing “Houston Life.”

Background in radio and television

Before her tenure at KPRC 2, Barrera built a career spanning both radio and television. She came to Houston in 2019 after being selected through a nationwide search to join 94.5 The Buzz’s “The Rod Ryan Show,” where she served as a co-host for roughly five years.

Earlier, she worked in Los Angeles as a news anchor and executive producer for KFI AM 640. Prior to that, she worked in television news in Corpus Christi, including KRIS 6 and KZTV Action 10, and has been credited as the first Latina sports anchor in South Texas. Her sports coverage included the Corpus Christi Hooks, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi athletics, Texas A&M-Kingsville athletics and regional high school sports.

Barrera said on-air she wants time to reset her life, help her family when needed, and step away for a period before deciding what comes next.

KPRC 2 has not announced a successor or outlined changes to the “Houston Life” hosting lineup following Barrera’s departure.