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On Thursday, a tearful Ann Curry announced that she is leaving ‘Today’ as the show’s co-host after 15 years as a member of the show. Curry was permitted to say her goodbyes in four minutes and 23 seconds time.
“This is not easy to say but today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of ‘Today,'” Curry said. “I will still be part of the ‘Today’ show family but I will have a new title and a new role. And this is not how I ever expected to leave this couch after fifteen years. But I am so grateful, especially to all of you who watch.” Curry described the show’s viewers as the “real ‘Today’ show family. I have loved you and I’ve wanted to show you the world.”
Curry then described, briefly, her new role with the network, which will be as a national and international correspondent. “They are giving me some fancy new titles…we’re going to go all over the world and all over this country…We’re going to do great work I hope, and be given a chance to do great work, and these stories are going to air on all the platforms of NBC News.”
“For all of you who saw me as a groundbreaker, I’m sorry I couldn’t get the ball over the finish line, but man, I did try,” she added.
The exit for Curry came just one week after news broke that the network was planning to replace her as the show’s co-host. Jim Bell, the ‘Today’ executive producer, released a statement that said, “I know of only one journalist who in just a matter of years has travelled to Sudan six times, broken exclusive world news with top world leaders, and broadcast live from both the South Pole and Mount Kilimanjaro. Ann has quite literally reached amazing heights in her career, and with this new role, she will continue her intrepid climb bringing viewers her signature brand of humanitarian reporting.”
Curry took over the role of co-host in June of 2011 after spending 14 years on the show as the news reader. She was passed over for the role of co-host in 2006 when Katie Couric departed but received the job when Meredith Vieira left the show in June of 2011. Curry has suffered through negative press that criticized her for her poor chemistry with Lauer and that held her responsible for the show’s ratings problems. In the category of weekly total viewers, ‘Good Morning America’ defeated ‘Today’ for the first time in 16 years.
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Curry has a long-term deal in place with NBC News to work as a national and international correspondent, which will see her produce specials and cover hard news stories. Curry also shot down the rumors that she will be making $10 million per year with the network.
