Who Should Replace Peter Alexander on ‘Weekend Today?’ (POLL)
A new anchor position is now up for grabs in NBC’s Today hosting lineup.
On the Saturday, March 28, episode of Weekend Today, Peter Alexander surprised viewers by announcing he was stepping away from the series and would be leaving NBC News. “It’s hard to believe, but I have been a part of the NBC family for longer than I have had my own family,” he stated. “Studio 1A, being right here with this team, with all the folks that you don’t get to see on TV, this is literally my happy place. It is so fun. I mean, what a gig.”
Alexander credited his decision to the long commute back and forth from Washington, D.C., to New York City, and to wanting to spend more time with his family — including his wife, Alison Starling, and their two daughters, Ava and Emma.
“I’ve been away from my home more than 80 nights in the last seven months, more than 220 Friday nights. Two hundred twenty Friday nights away from my family in the last seven years,” he continued. “So, in this limited window before my daughters lose interest in hanging out with me — it’s already happened quick — I’m eager to carve out a better balance between my personal and professional lives, and to challenge myself with something new. I’m excited. As I was taught, family first, the rest is details.”
Two days later, Alexander announced via Instagram that he would be taking over as the host of MS Now‘s 11 a.m. hour from Ana Cabrera, as well as serving as a breaking news anchor and chief national reporter.
Alexander joined NBC News in 2004 and began co-hosting Weekend Today with Sheinelle Jones — and later Kristen Welker — in 2018. Laura Jarrett took over for Welker following her 2023 departure and has led the show with Alexander since.
NBC has yet to name a Weekend Today replacement for Alexander. However, there are several personalities within the NBC News family who could join Jarrett at the anchor desk in the future.
Scroll down to see some likely candidates, and vote for your top pick in the poll below.
Joe Fryer
View this post on Instagram
Fryer is already a member of the Weekend Today team, having served as the show’s feature anchor for several years. He also frequently contributes stories to Today‘s weekday episodes and occasionally fills in for absent hosts. His connection to Weekend Today could make him the perfect person to follow in Alexander’s shoes.
Savannah Sellers
View this post on Instagram
While Sellers isn’t an official member of Weekend Today‘s hosting lineup, she has plenty of hosting experience, having filled in for Today‘s main cast when needed, particularly on the third hour of Today. Sellers is a longtime member of the NBC News team and has contributed stories to shows such as NBC Nightly News and Sunday Today. She also leads the NBC News series Morning News Now with Fryer. Her news background would align well with the duties of a Weekend Today anchor.
Kaylee Hartung
View this post on Instagram
Like many of her fellow NBC News colleagues, Hartung frequently appears on Today as a correspondent and fill-in host. While Hartung’s experience would make her a good choice to replace Alexander on Weekend Today, her role as a contributor for NBC Sports could potentially interfere with the show’s schedule.
Brian Cheung
View this post on Instagram
Having joined NBC News in 2022, Cheung has become a prominent contributor across Today, Weekend Today, and Sunday Today, in addition to NBC Nightly News. Co-anchoring Weekend Today with Jarrett could be the next big stepping stone in Cheung’s TV career.
Gadi Schwartz
View this post on Instagram
Schwartz is a well-known NBC News correspondent, having contributed stories to Today, Weekend Today, Sunday Today, NBC Nightly News, and other news programs. He also hosts the NBC News NOW streaming program Stay Tuned NOW with Gadi Schwartz. He certainly has more than enough experience to take over for Alexander on Weekend Today.
Vicky Nguyen
View this post on Instagram
Nguyen currently serves as NBC News’ chief consumer investigative correspondent, often lending her knowledge to informative segments across all of Today‘s shows. She is also one of the hosts of the afternoon news program NBC News Daily. While Nguyen would be a great fit for Alexander’s anchor role, her already busy schedule may prohibit her from taking on the position.
Weekend Today, Saturdays, 7am/6c, NBC
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services