By Christopher John Farley
- NBC
- Ann Curry announced this morning that she’s ending her run as a regular co-host on “Today.”
Ann Curry this morning announced that she’ll be leaving her role as a regular host of NBC’s “Today” show.
“This is not easy to say,” Curry said at the start of her tearful announcement, “but today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of ‘Today.’”
Curry’s voice then grew husky with emotion as the moment seemed to sink in, and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m going to have a new title and a new role,” she said.
She addressed the viewers directly. “You are the real ‘Today’ show family,” she said.
She added “For all of you who saw me as a groundbreaker, I’m sorry I couldn’t carry the ball over the finish line–but man, I did try.”
The Today show website posted a story saying Curry will now take on a role as “Today Anchor at Large and National and International Correspondent for NBC News.” In that capacity, according to the site, “Curry will lead a new team covering stories spanning the globe. She’ll anchor prime-time specials and report for Today, Nightly News, Rock Center, Dateline and MSNBC, and will have a major presence across all digital properties.”
Reports about her impeding departure had been swirling for days.
Curry, who established her career covering conflicts and catastrophes around the world, assumed the co-hosting spot last year from Meredith Vieira, who took over from Katie Couric in 2006.
“Good Morning America” recently broke “Today’s” longstanding streak at the top of the ratings.
For more on Curry go here.
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Having watched almost every Today Show from the begining show in the 1950′s, and yesterday is probablly the last time I will watch this show. The problem is not Ann Curry; the Today Show is now just a poor imitation format of GMA. Today was suppose to be a news program now its a soft magazine. The Today Show’s format now includes the 7;30 AM sob storry, the dumb “professionals?” waste of time, self-serving interviews too prop up other NBC showsand very little news or hard interviews, I now watch Charlie Rose on CBS.
Ann you will be missed. You are too good a journalist to be surrounded by the puff that the Today show has become. Look for you elsewhere (CBS or ABC)
Will miss Ann. This is a complete injustice. Matt is clearly a d-bag and Ann is taking the fall for his inflated ego. Everyone should tone in to GMA on Friday.
I’ll miss Ann Curry – she has class and is courageous!
Savannah Guthrie and Natalie Morales will be long gone. Erin Burnett may be a good fit for this spot – especially since her CNN show is fast sinking. Curry is a great reporter but she was not lead material for sure.
But she is a classy act and she deserves the millions that she is getting.
Ann Curry has more compassion and sensitivity than Matt Lauer, Why he is the big draw is anybody’s guess. GMA has a younger, hipper cast of players, thus the ratings. How about getting rid of Al Roker? He is not funny, good looking or modern. Kathy Lee never lets her guests talk without constantly talking over them. How rude is that? She and Hoda are not a good mix either. I say revamp the whole show and start over.
Sad day for Ann. Try watching GMA and see what a nice group of young folks that compliment each other.