Meredith Vieira is reportedly parting ways with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire after 11 seasons on the syndicated game show.
The former host of The View will be seen in new episodes of the program until May. She will also appear in the reruns that will likely play in markets over the summer. According to Reuters , ABC is currently on the lookout for someone to take her place.
A spokesperson for ABC Television Group said:
“It’s the final year of Meredith’s contract. She has chosen to move on and pursue other opportunities. We are searching for a new host.”
Deadline explains that it was Vieira’s decision to leave Millionaire after sitting in the chair for over a decade. The website also states that Meredith was offered the job by ABC executives in an effort to “sweeten the deal” while renegotiating her contract with The View years ago.
Vieira stuck with Millionaire even after leaving the daytime chat program for The Today Show in 2006. The syndicated version of the once-popular primetime game show also earned Meredith a pair of Daytime Emmy Awards in 2005 and 2009.
According to The Associated Press , Meredith Vieira is leaving the game show in order to pursue other ventures. This reportedly includes doing more work for NBC News . An anonymous executive also stated that she intends to start a YouTube Channel featuring stories about people’s lives.
Last month The Inquisitr reported that Vieira would be returning to the daytime soap opera General Hospital for a guest appearance. The episode that aired on December 14 found the host and actress reprising her role as escort service owner Bree Flanders. Meredith first appeared on the soap ten years ago.
As of this writing, it’s currently unknown who will replace Meredith Vieira on the syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire .
