As NBC negotiates the fate of Megyn Kelly, the network has already started scrubbing traces of the disgraced host in the wake of her blackface backlash.
Page Six is told that execs had long planned to feature Kelly heavily in its midterm-election coverage Tuesday night, and even sent out a press release before the scandal broke announcing that Kelly would front the broadcast alongside NBC heavyweights Lester Holt of the network’s “Nightly News,” “Today” host Savannah Guthrie and “Meet the Press” anchor Chuck Todd.
But on Monday, NBC put out a video ad spot that deep-sixed Kelly from the lineup, showing only Holt, Guthrie and Todd at the desk for its “The Vote: America’s Future” special live broadcast.
NBC News declined to comment, but a network insider told us that Kelly is “not going to be part of election-night coverage.”
Sources pointed out that “exit negotiations” are underway.
It’s yet another disappointment in the Peacock Network’s relationship with Kelly.
Several months ago, sources told Page Six that after Kelly’s hour of the “Today” show became a ratings disaster, execs had hoped to use Kelly more in its political coverage as a way to get some of their money’s worth out of their $69 million, three-year deal with her.
The Hollywood Reporter wrote in recent weeks that Kelly had “met with network executives” to discuss winding down the morning show and “expressed a desire to cover more news and politics.” Last week, Page Six reported that Kelly was being taken off “Megyn Kelly Today” — which debuted to muted response last year — after she defended blackface Halloween costumes on the show.
Kelly quickly apologized for the bizarre remark, but she was removed from the air within 48 hours of the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Page Six