Friel attended Methacton High School in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She regularly did the televised morning announcements, and was very active in the school's media production class. One day, after submitting a short video, Friel was chosen to appear in Channel One News' student produced week in Los Angeles. Friel went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University, while completing many internships with MTV News and several others.

Courtney Friel was a sports anchor and entertainment reporter for GoTV Mobile Television, as well as the hostess for the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. She was also the host of GameStop/EBGames "EB TV" which boasted of recently released and upcoming video games. Before that, she was the co-anchor of Court TV's The Saturday Night Solution.

Courtney has also worked as a field reporter for various networks including: E! Entertainment, Oxygen Channel and Comcast Cable, the World Poker Tour, as well as the syndicated program, Extra. She also worked as an anchor at a local affiliate in Jackson, Tennessee around 2003. She joined Fox News Channel in February 2007. She recently posed for Maxim Magazine as the hottest TV show personality, and is likely to make cover if she keeps bangin that sexy nude body.

• "Chelsea Lately" .... Herself - panelist (1 episode, 2008)
       - Episode dated 5 December 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself - panelist
• Deal (2008) .... Herself
• U Party with Fox News 2008 (2007) (TV) .... Herself - Reporter
• "The Lineup" .... Herself (1 episode, 2007)
       - Episode dated 24 June 2007 (2007) TV episode .... Herself
• "World Poker Tour" (2003) TV series .... Herself - Hostess (unknown episodes, 2006)
• "Celebrity Paranormal Project" .... Herself (1 episode, 2006)
       - Wooden Lucy (2006) TV episode .... Herself
• "Saturday Night Solution" (2002) TV series (unknown episodes)