After the dramatic departure of Tamron Hall from “Today,” TV insiders are buzzing that Megyn Kelly could next unseat Savannah Guthrie as the star co-anchor with Matt Lauer.
Multiple sources tell Page Six that Kelly is likely to take the lead role on the NBC morning show with Lauer when she starts in September. Guthrie, who recently signed a new long-term deal with “Today,” could be bumped to another role or even take over Hall’s 9 a.m. slot, we’re told.
“NBC is not paying Megyn $12 to $15 million a year to be on at 9 a.m. The word is that Savannah could take the 9 a.m. slot and Megyn will go right in at 7 a.m. Andy Lack is completely behind all of this,” a source told us, adding, “There’s no way Megyn would have signed with NBC unless she was promised a big role down the line.”
Guthrie is currently out on maternity leave and sources told Page Six she has been kept in the dark about what Kelly’s role will be.
“If you’re Savannah, you’re looking over your shoulder every minute. The first time Savannah is out, Megyn will fill in, sitting next to Matt Lauer and NBC will go to great lengths to capitalize on it. It doesn’t make sense to pay Megyn that kind of money unless she’s on at 7 a.m.,” another source said.
But NBC execs insist they will not be swapping out Guthrie for Kelly. “Let me say this for the last time and as clearly as possible: This is never ever going to happen,” Noah Oppenheim, SVP of “Today,” told us.
Kelly’s rep added, “This is unequivocally false.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Black Journalists is accusing the network of “whitewashing” after they bumped Al Roker and Hall’s 9 a.m show for Kelly. “NBC has been a leader for diversity in broadcasting, but recent reports that Hall and Roker will be replaced by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are being seen by industry professionals as whitewashing,” the organization wrote in a letter to NBC. NABJ has demanded a meeting with NBC chiefs.
Hall exited the show on Wednesday without an on-air goodbye after turning down millions to stay. On Thursday she cleaned out her closet, posting a video of herself packing up her work clothes to donate to Housing Works. “Thank y’all for all the love and support,” she wrote.
More on the drama at ‘Today’: