Ready for another round of tense days at NBC’s Today Show? Two years after Ann Curry’s controversial departure from the former ratings juggernaut, it now looks like Natalie Morales might be out the door, too.
Morales has been a part of Today since 2006, but when Curry left, Savannah Guthrie was picked as Matt Lauer’s co-host. Despite her popularity and longevity, she is now jockeying for a better position over Tamron Hall.
An insider for the New York Post’s Page Six claims there is “a lot of tension” between Hall and morales, which even led to a “big blowup in October.” NBC News President Deborah Turness is on Hall’s side and hoping to give her a bigger role on the show.
The Post’s source said that Morales had lunch with Today’s executive producer, Don Nash “and she didn’t get the reassurance she had hoped for about her future at Today.” So, Morales’ WME agent is already looking at other options for her.
This isn’t the first time the Post has claimed that Morales was leaving. Back in June 2012, amid Curry’s departure, the paper said Morales would leave if she didn’t get the top co-anchor spot.
One of the Post’s other sources said Morales has two years left on her current Today contract.
Nash also told the Post that, “This is total nonsense,” adding that, “Natalie Morales is valued by everyone at the news division from the top down, and her future is with the Today show and NBC News.”
While Morales didn’t make any comment herself, she did retweet two inspirational quotes this weekend. “Don't let someone dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes,” one reads.
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