NBC Has Officially Canceled ‘Megyn Kelly Today’
UPDATE 10/26/2018 at 1:40pm:
It has been officially announced that Megyn Kelly Today has been canceled by NBC as her lawyers continue to negotiate her now certain exit. According to a statement made by the network, other Today anchors will helm the hour slot in the preceding days.
JUST IN: NBC News spokesperson: “Megyn Kelly Today is not returning. Next week, the 9 a.m. hour will be hosted by other TODAY co-anchors.”
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 26, 2018
UPDATE 10/26/2018 at 9:27am:
On Friday morning, Today show anchors Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin reported on their fellow NBC colleague’s imminent departure from the network.
NBC News’ Megan Radford confirmed that conversations are taking place with Kelly about her exit in the middle of her three-year, $69 million contract.
This morning, NBC News host Megyn Kelly is in talks with the network about her imminent departure, according to a source familiar with the situation. pic.twitter.com/4Ter7kP0LT
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 26, 2018
ORIGINAL 10/25/2018:
Megyn Kelly was absent from her morning show on NBC, one day after she apologized on-camera for her comments defending blackface Halloween costumes.
And don’t expect her to return any time soon. “Given the circumstances, Megyn Kelly Today will be on tape the rest of the week,” NBC News told Deadline in a statement.
In just a matter of days, Kelly’s future is looking grim — not only was she called out on social media and by her fellow NBC colleagues for her inappropriate comments, she was condemned by the Chairman of NBC News, Andy Lack, in a town hall meeting, and dropped from her agency CAA, as confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. Kelly has since hired top Hollywood litigator, Bryan Freedman.
A source told People, “She is expecting to leave the Today show at the end of the season in December.”
The anchor reportedly wants to return to her newsier-political base. The source added discussions began earlier this month about Kelly transitioning into a “different role within NBC News because she wants to be involved in political coverage in a deeper way than she can do at 9 a.m.”
To recap, on Kelly’s October 23 show, she was discussing appropriate/inappropriate Halloween costumes during a roundtable and said it wasn’t “racist” for white people to dress up in blackface on Halloween, as long as they were dressing up as a character/real person.
This is who @NBCNews dumped @tamronhall for? #MegynKellypic.twitter.com/l2JHkzAon7
— Philmonger (@phillipmbailey) October 23, 2018
“Back when I was a kid, that was OK,” she said.
She apologized internally that day with an email and also the next day, on-air: “I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry. The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep,” she said.
“I want to begin with two words, I’m sorry..The country feels so divided and I have no wish to add to that pain and offense. I believe this is a time for more understanding, more love, more sensitivity and honor..Thank you for listening and for helping me listen too.” Megyn Kelly pic.twitter.com/6hHrvZLNvK
— Megyn Kelly TODAY (@MegynTODAY) October 24, 2018
In a moment of solidarity, the cast of Netflix’s political drama, House of Cards, canceled its scheduled appearance next week on her show.
More details to come.
