“Have I ever seen you this happy at work?”: Deborah Norville’s husband on her new game show hosting gig

NYSPCC Fall 2022 Gala - Source: Getty
Deborah Norville’s husband on her new game show hosting gig - Source: Getty

Deborah Norville is ushering in a new era and she seems more joyful than ever. After three decades anchoring Inside Edition, she’s turned a corner, stepping into the playful world of game shows. Her new role as host of The Perfect Line has sparked a heartwarming reaction from her husband, Karl Wellner who isn’t easily impressed.

Up to now, Deborah Norville has been synonymous with hard-nosed reporting and poised delivery. But a chance to let loose, crack jokes with contestants, and bring her natural warmth to television has unleashed something different in her. And the evidence of that shift? Her husband’s unexpected, touching comment:

“I have not seen you this happy at work in a long time.”

That simple line carries an enormous weight and it’s proving contagious.

Deborah Norville’s Husband Reaction Goes Viral

The Perfect Line, which premieres on September 8, challenges players to organize lists correctly for up to $15,000 in winnings. It’s trivia with a twist but more than that, it’s the perfect setting for Deborah Norville to show what viewers haven’t seen before.

Her husband watched multiple tapings and walked away surprised. As she told People, he “saw me as a performer in a way he’d never seen me before,” and that he thought she was “really good at this.”And then, the line that really stands out: “I have not seen you this happy at work in a long time.”

That reaction feels both validating and profound especially given what she’s leaving behind. For 30 years, Deborah Norville anchored Inside Edition, becoming its longest-serving female anchor. She signed off on May 21, 2025, citing a desire to be more present with her family and pursue new opportunities. Her farewell was emotional colleagues lauded her journey, tributes poured in, and her final episode was a moving tribute to her legacy.

Now, with this new game show, she’s not just stepping into a lighter format she’s showing a different side of herself. She’s relaxed, animated, fully herself. She jokes with contestants, shares quirky “fun facts,” and brings the kind of everyday energy that characterizes her off-camera life.

Deborah Norville is trading headlines for punchlines, embracing the fun she always lets peek through in real life. Her husband’s praise “I haven’t seen you this happy at work in a long time” isn’t just flattering; it captures a major shift. This new gig isn’t about reinvention it’s about letting her joy show. And that is worth watching.

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Edited by Heba Arshad