Could “Today” veteran and news reader Natalie Morales
be the next to leave the NBC morning show?
Sources tell us “Today” will announce the long-rumored departure of its co-host Ann Curry by the end of the week, and that the show’s third-hour co-host Savannah Guthrie is the front-runner to replace her. The network’s Hoda Kotb has also been reported to be in line to take the reins.
But, either way, sources tell us Morales could be next out the door. “If Natalie’s passed over for the job, she’s going to leave next,” a source told Page Six.
Morales has been with “Today” since 2006 and was mentioned as a possible replacement for Meredith Vieira when Vieira stepped down from her co-anchor post last year.
“This will be the second time [Natalie] has been passed over for the top job. And she’s not happy,” a source tell us.
A NBC Universal rep had no comment on Curry or her replacement, but said the talk about Morales being disgruntled is “totally untrue.”
A different source adds: “Natalie couldn’t be happier in her current role.”
Curry, meanwhile, is expected to leave “Today” imminently, after a year on the job.
During her time as co-anchor, the program’s ratings have slipped — at times lower than rival ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Sources tell us NBC suits are currently locked in meetings around the clock to finalize Curry’s exit. The network has been negotiating with her over a severance package from her $10 million-a-year contract.
While the sources said an announcement about Curry is finally expected by the end of the week, some insiders said the news could come as soon as today.
Although sources at NBC say Guthrie is the current favorite to replace Curry, others close to the talks say that brass had not made any final decisions as of last night.