Monday night update: Rachel Maddow confirmed Monday during The Rachel Maddow Show that she will be going on hiatus from the program, beginning Feb. 4 until April.
“There may eventually be another hiatus again sometime in my future, but for now we are just taking it one step at a time,” she said. “Change is good. Change is absolutely terrifying, but change is good, in this case.”
Maddow added that she is broadcasting from home because of exposure to someone who tested positive for Covid and is symptomatic. Maddow, however, has tested negative.
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MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is taking some time off from her nightly MSNBC show to focus on developing side projects. Maddow will share the news with her audience Monday evening, according to Insider’s Claire Atkinson.
The hiatus will begin Feb. 7, and she won’t return to The Rachel Maddow Show until April. The network will tap various guest-hosts to lead the weekday 9 p.m. hour in the interim, including Maddow’s primary fill-in Ali Velshi.
According to Insider, Maddow is taking some time to work on a Focus Features movie based on her book and award-winning podcast Bag Man, which is about a political bribery scandal involving former vp Spiro Agnew. It will be directed by Ben Stiller, produced by Lorne Michaels and Maddow will be an ep. Maddow is also developing a new podcast and working on the launch of a production shop with former MSNBC president Phil Griffin.
Maddow signed a new deal with NBCUniversal last year for a reported $30 million that gives her “the freedom to pursue a range of formats including film and TV series.” As part of the deal, MSNBC’s most popular figure will also be winding down her nightly host duties on the network.
Maddow will still contribute to MSNBC’s coverage of President Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1.