Tamron Hall Exits NBC After Losing Today’s Slot To Megyn Kelly
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Tamron Hall is parting ways with NBC after it was revealed she was bumped off the Today show to make room for Megyn Kelly.
According to PEOPLE, the network announced that Kelly, who left Fox News last month, would replace the 60-minute slot previously held by Hall and co-anchor Al Roker. A source said Hall, who has been with the network for 10 years, found out about the change an hour before she was to go live on the air.
AM ambush! Tamron Hall learned she'd lose #TodayShow timeslot moments before going live on air https://t.co/FgtAnYi2Nw pic.twitter.com/r9CFvu602x
— People (@people) February 1, 2017
Tamron Hall, described as a “team player” by colleagues, had been filling in on the show during the absence of Lester Holt and Savannah Guthrie. She had received an email from the executive producer a few days ago commending the 9 a.m. team for being the top breakfast show in the country for seven weeks. A few days later, she was told by her agent that she and her co-anchor, Al Roker, were being yanked off the air.
The abrupt shake-up left the national news anchor for NBC and day-side anchor for MSNBC offended, and she made up her mind to leave. The 46-year-old, whose contract expires this month, was given a multi-million dollar contract not to go, but a source confirmed that Hall remained adamant about her decision because management handled the Megyn Kelly situation badly.
“She was offered a lot of money to stay…a new multi-year, multi-million dollar to stay at the Today show and MSNBC and she turned it down. She doesn’t currently have another offer but her contract was up.”
NBC starts Black History Month by ousting Tamron Hall & Al Roker for Megyn Kelly. Tone deafness on timing aside, Roker & Hall are better.
— Bill (@BillAlwaysWins) February 1, 2017
The source hailed Tamron’s professionalism, pointing out she remained focused on the job despite the announcement that Megyn Kelly would be taking her slot. Hall, who also hosts Deadline: Crime on Investigation Discovery, was said to be cheerful on air, and if she had any reservations, Hall did a very good job of concealing it. Her co-host, Al Roker, remains an integral part of the show, pending when a new morning lineup is initiated in the Fall.
NBC management, in a statement made available to Variety, said they were disappointed that Tamron Hall would not be staying on, wishing her all the best and confirming that she would be leaving at the end of the month. The present format of the 9 a.m. hour on the morning franchise is expected to be canceled in the fall to create time for Megyn Kelly.
The former Fox News Channel anchor is expected to join NBC in May and handle a new program tucked between 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. If the morning program is given the 10 a.m. slot, it means that Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will have to backpedal to 9 a.m.
Can't believe @NBCNews is losing @tamronhall, the woman who brought Scott Baio to his knees: https://t.co/tCaHwLNKRS pic.twitter.com/5kR9D1MLEb
— Matt Wilstein (@mattwilstein) February 1, 2017
Tamron Hall joined NBC and MSNBC in 2007. She joined the Today team in 2014 as a supporting anchor of Today’s Take, the third hour of the hugely popular show. She also held the reins for MSNBC Live, a daily news program airing at 11 a.m.
The 46-year-old garnered an Edward R. Murrow Award for a story she carried on NBC News, as well as an Emmy in 2010 as a member of the crew that covered Obama’s inauguration. In a statement released Wednesday, Hall expressed her gratitude for the 10 years she had put in at the network, appreciating the people she had met along the way.
“The last 10 years have been beyond anything I could have imagined, and I’m grateful. I’m also very excited about the next chapter. To all my great colleagues, I will miss you and I will be rooting for you.”
Hall will not be getting a farewell celebration as her final day on air was Tuesday. However, the hardworking anchor posted a picture of herself with Keke Pamer and Harry Connick Jr on Instagram on Tuesday marking her last appearance on Today. Insiders at the network are not happy with the way things have been handled and wonder why executives would want to upset the applecart with the show doing so well.
Only two months ago, Today beat Good Morning America as the most-watched morning news program. A coveted position the latter had held for 16 years.
Hall is leaving less than five years after the cable giant was criticized over how anchor Ann Curry was made to leave. Curry had broken down on live television after she revealed to viewers that she would no longer be hosting Today with Matt Lauer. Curry had spent just one year on the show and put in 15 years with the network.
[Featured Image by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Images]
