This morning Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira were side-by-side for what might turn out to be their final big event co-anchoring together. Sources tell “The Hollywood Reporter” Vieira is indeed planning to leave the show in June, a few months ahead of the expiration of her contract and that Ann Curry will be elevated to co-anchor and Natalie Morales will be elevated from national correspondent to news anchor.
THR got a “no comment” from the show.
The entire “Today” team was in London this morning. In addition to Lauer and Vieira on set near Buckingham Palace, Curry was at Westminster Abbey, Morales was in Trafalgar Square and Al Roker was in the crowds outside Buckingham Palace.
The news of Vieira’s departure comes the same week as her predecessor at “Today” Katie Couric, also in London anchoring CBS’s coverage, said that she would be leaving the anchor chair at CBS Evening News.
Curry has been with the show since 1997, as newsreader and, more recently, also reporting from foreign hot spots. Morales joined “Today” from MSNBC in 2006.
This morning, just as the Wedding ceremony of Prince William and Princess Catherine concluded, Curry interviewed Anna Pukas, whose publication the Daily Express (UK), was granted a ticket to the ceremony and whose editor selected her to attend, even though the Royals are not her beat.
“I imagine some of your colleagues were jealous you were picked for this assignment?” Curry asked Pukas. “They were certainly excited for me. Everyone I told just fell about saying, ‘What? You’re going to the royal wedding?’ I hope they’re not jealous.”