Coming up next on Today: more turmoil.
Megyn Kelly’s new NBC show, reportedly debuting in September, has created unease amongst the morning show’s staff. “The anchors are threatened by Megyn,” a show source reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “But the decision to bring her on was made above all their heads.”
As Us previously reported, the former Fox News personality’s new program will likely replace Today’s third hour, hosted by Al Roker and Tamron Hall. While Roker, 62, will continue his 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. weather-anchor gig, NBC News announced that Hall, whose contract expires this month, is leaving the network.
“Yesterday was her last day as an anchor on both [NBC News and MSNBC],” the network said in a statement shared with Us February 1. “Tamron is an exceptional journalist, we valued and enjoyed her work at Today and MSNBC and hoped that she would decide to stay. We are disappointed that she has chosen to leave, but we wish her all the best.”
But a show source tells Us NBC wasn’t “fighting that hard” to keep her. “They see Megyn as more valuable.” A second show source adds that Hall, 46, was fielding interest from competitors.
Roker, according to NBC News’ statement, will continue to cohost Today’s 9 a.m. hour “until a new morning lineup begins in the Fall of 2017.”
But there is an alternate scenario for Kelly — who signed a multiyear NBC contract expected to be worth at least $15 million: She could nab the 10 a.m. slot occupied by Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, according to the sources. The wine-guzzling duo, explains the first source, would then hit the air at 9.
The situation is based on NBC’s desire to make the lineup “more balanced with liberal and conservative voices,” says the insider, adding that the network hopes Kelly, 46, “will appeal to more people.”
In January, Kelly ended a 12-year career at Fox News. “Over a dozen years ago I started at Fox News in a job that would change my life,” she wrote on Facebook January 3. “Now, I have decided to end my time at FNC, incredibly enriched for the experiences I’ve had. I have agreed to join NBC News, where I will be launching a new daytime show Monday through Friday, along with a Sunday evening news magazine program. I will also participate in NBC’s breaking news coverage and its political and special events coverage.”
