TheTodayshow is refreshing its third hour followingMegyn Kelly‘s blackface scandal.
TodayanchorsCraig Melvin,Hoda Kotband Al Roker replaced Kelly in the show’s first 9 a.m. slot sinceNBC confirmed the disgraced anchor’s hour was canceledlast week.
“Today, as you know, we are starting a new chapter in the third hour of our show as it evolves,” she said. “We want you to know that the entireTodayfamily will continue to bring you informative and important stories, just as we always have.”
According toVariety,Todayanchors, includingSavannah Guthrie, will take turns hosting the 9 a.m. hour until NBC finds a permanent solution.
On Friday, NBC announced Kelly’s hour had been canceled amid immense backlash for her controversial remarks about blackface earlier in the week.
WhileMegyn Kelly Todayis officially done, herfuture at the network remains unclear. Kelly’s attorney toldVarietyin a statement: “Megyn remains an employee of NBC News and discussions about next steps are continuing.”
Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Kelly did not appear live on the air Thursday or Friday morning, with NBC announcing the rest of this week’s broadcasts had beenreplaced with pre-taped episodes.
On Friday, Kelly’sTodayshow colleagues addressedthe possibility of her exit from NBC, with NBC News correspondent Morgan Radford sharing that according to a source familiar with the situation, Kelly entered talks with the network “this morning … about her imminent departure.”
According to NBC News, as of Thursday, conversations had “already started about Megyn’s exit from the network,” according to a source. Another source said that “representatives for Kelly are scheduled to meet on Friday with company executives,” adding that it appears “extremely unlikely” she’ll continue working at NBC.
While discussing attempts at universities to discourage “inappropriate and offensive costumes” on Tuesday, the former Fox News host asked: “But what is racist? Because truly, you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up as like a character.”
Her NBC colleaguescondemned her harshly on-air. Melvin called her remarks “indefensible” as well as “ignorant and racist,” and Roker insisted she “owes a bigger apology to folks of color around the country.”
source: people.com
