In 2000, McLeod's demo reel caught the eye of a TLC network executive, during the casting for the first season of Trading Spaces. After viewing a sketch entitled, Will Model for Food, TLC offered her the job as host of their flagship show, Trading Spaces. McLeod signed on for forty episodes. The show was a hit and McLeod shared in a daytime Emmy nomination with her Producers after one season on air in the Outstanding Special Class Series category. TLC Executive Producer Stephen Schwartz called Alex his “hands-down choice for host.” Linda Stasi of The New York Post described McLeod as the "perfect" host and Daniel McGinn of Newsweek compared McLeod to Classic Coke, truly an "original." When she made the decision to leave the show in the summer of 2001, McLeod told Newsweek she chose to “lay down her own paintbrush” and leave her Alex-cam and the demanding road schedule behind.

After leaving "Trading Spaces" in 2002 McLeod performed in back to back reality TV projects making the move into major network television with a hosting role on FOX's controversial first season of Joe Millionaire shot on location in France's Loire Valley. On the first Joe Millionaire, single women competed for the affection of a would-be millionaire who in reality was a manual laborer making only $19,000 annually. The show was wildly successful with over 40 million viewers in the US tuning in to the season one finale. Next, McLeod became the co-host of A&E Network's Best of Both Worlds alongside Phil Koeghan (The Amazing Race). In this two part reality travel special, McLeod agreed to "rough it" on an economy tour of Hawaii and then to experience the reward of a luxury tour through Hong Kong.

In 2003 McLeod landed a guest co-host spot for two episodes on ABC's all-female talk show, The View as a candidate to fill outgoing host, Lisa Ling’s chair. McLeod's appearance was also used again in another episode of The View featuring “Strong Women.” McLeod guest hosted on 20th Century Fox's nationally syndicated morning show, Good Day Live. She appeared on the Sci Fi Channel as a correspondent for The Belzer Connection, a two part special on conspiracies based on comedian/actor Richard Belzer’s book, entitled UFOs, JFK, and Elvis. She has appeared as a celebrity guest on Soap Talk on Soapnet and was a celebrity guest panelist on The Test on FX. She has been featured in publications such as Newsweek, and Entertainment Weekly. Often McLeod returns to her roots as an entertainment news correspondent. From 2003 to 2004, McLeod covered numerous movie premieres as a red-carpet correspondent for Starz Movie News. She also hosted The Weekend, a weekend of academy award winning movies celebrating Oscar winners past and present. Both aired on the Starz family of channels. McLeod was also a spokeswoman for a Starz/DirectTV weekend promotional campaign.

• "Hollywood 411" .... Herself - Correspondent (5 episodes, 2008)
       - Episode dated 23 June 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
       - Episode dated 20 June 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
       - Episode dated 19 June 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
       - Episode dated 18 June 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
       - Episode dated 16 June 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
• "The View" .... Herself - Guest Co-Host (2 episodes, 2003)
       - Episode dated 23 September 2003 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Guest Co-Host
       - Episode dated 22 September 2003 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Guest Co-Host
• "The Belzer Connection" .... Herself - Correspondent (2 episodes, 2003)
       - Majestic-12 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
       - The Diana Conspiracy (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Correspondent
• "Good Day Live" .... Herself - Co-Host (1 episode, 2003)
       - Episode dated 17 March 2003 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Co-Host
• "Joe Millionaire" .... Herself - Host (7 episodes, 2003)
       - Episode #1.7 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - Episode #1.6 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - Episode #1.5 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - Episode #1.4 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - Episode #1.3 (2003) TV episode .... Herself - Host
        (2 more)
• "Best of Both Worlds" (2003) TV series .... Co-Host
• "SoapTalk" .... Herself - Guest (1 episode, 2002)
       - Episode #1.1 (2002) TV episode .... Herself - Guest
• "Trading Spaces" .... Herself - Host (40 episodes, 2000-2001)
       - New Jersey: Lafayette Street (2001) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - New Jersey: Lincroft Road (2001) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - New Jersey: Sam Street (2001) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - New York: Linda Court (2001) TV episode .... Herself - Host
       - New York: Sherwood Drive (2001) TV episode .... Herself - Host
        (35 more)
• "The Test" .... Herself (1 episode, 2001)