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(L-R) Host Al Roker, host Natalie Morales, host Savannah Guthrie, singer/musician Chris Martin of Coldplay, and host Matt Lauer on the set of NBC's 'Today' at Rockefeller Center on October 21, 2011 in New York City. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
After week of speculations about the departure of co-host Ann Curry from NBC News’s morning talk show “Today,” the station officially announced that Friday that its chief legal correspondent Savannah Guthrie will be the show’s new co-host with Matt Lauer, while making no mention of Curry.
The switch-up, which was widely speculated to counter the rating drop “Today” has suffered recently, seems to have done the opposite, especially with Curry only one year into her three-year contract.
“Seeing Savannah Guthrie w/ Matt Lauer on @todayshow is like dad showing up with his new girlfriend before the divorce papers were signed,” Jim Lokay, television news reporter and anchor with the CBS owned and operated KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, posted on Twitter.
Curry broke down in tears on Thursday as she told viewers that she would be leaving “Today.” “I am so grateful to all of you. You are the real ‘Today’ show family. For all of you who saw me as a groundbreaker, I’m sorry I couldn’t get to the finish line.”
When “Today” returned from a commercial break on Thursday, the 55-year-old Curry was gone, and replacing her on the couch was the 40-year-old Guthrie.
Curry will remain at NBC News as a correspondent and anchor at large, but there are still no words for her settlement after NBC broke the contract. Curry, who receives at least $10 million a year, is asking for a full $20 million for the remaining two years of the contract and her exit papers, but the network only wants to pay her $10 million.
“I personally don’t mind Savannah Guthrie, but I’m reading many angry tweets from @todayshow viewers planning to switch to @GMA (‘Good Morning America’),” Connecticut-based Twitter user @pintsizedmommy tweeted on Friday.
Curry has distinguished herself through traveling to remote areas of the world for under-reported stories, particularly global humanitarian issues. She is married to software executive Brian Ross with a daughter and a son.
Guthrie, who joined NBC News in September 2007, will continue her role as chief legal correspondent. Guthrie has already updated her Twitter profile to include her new role.
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