Ann Curry has showed up at work hours after news surfaced that she would be fired next month as co-host of NBC’s Today show.
Reports surfaced Wednesday afternoon that Ann Curry, who took over the anchor chair June 9, 2011, would be removed from her spot as Matt Lauer’s co-host.
But on Thursday morning, Ann Curry was back next to Matt Lauer, acting like nothing had happened.
Ann Curry has taken the blame from many at NBC for the Today show’s ratings decline. The program lost the top spot among network morning shows this spring, a position it had held, unbroken, since 1995.
The New York Times reported that NBC executives were preparing for Ann Curry not to show up on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Today show producers contacted Hoda Kotb, who co-hosts the fourth hour of the program, and told her to be ready to go on the air at 7:00 a.m.
But Ann Curry, who reportedly makes $2 million a year, was there, acting like normal.
“Good morning Twitterverse,” she tweeted to her 1.2 million followers on Thursday.
“Good morning. From hot to hotter. You thought yesterday was a scorcher? In many places in the East today, it’s going to get even hotter,” she said at the opening of the show.
Later in the program she appeared alongside Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Natalie Morales – one of the women who has been mentioned as her possible replacement.
Her tweet, sent out about 8:00 a.m., received dozens of responses from her fans, who offered her their support.
The Times reported on Wednesday that Ann Curry will be kicked off the show before the Summer Olympics begin July 27.
Ann Curry has been criticized for not being as flexible or quite as quick-witted as Matt Lauer or Katie Couric, who had the hosting job for 15 years before leaving in 2006.
Katie Couric was replaced by Vieira.
Matt Lauer, who recently received a reported $30 million annual contract to stay at NBC is reportedly one of the people working to push Ann Curry out.
NBC producers are beginning to panic as ABC’s Good Morning America has begun trading off with the Today show for the top network morning show.
Ann Curry’s more prominent role in the morning show has received the blame for this slump.
Negotiations are currently underway with network executives to move Ann Curry into a new job, likely as a foreign correspondent.
But, she’s apparently not leaving without a fight.
“She got her dream job, and she doesn’t want to let it go,” a source told the Times.
Savannah Guthrie, who co-hosts the show’s third hour, is at the top of the list of Ann Curry’s possible replacements.
Natalie Morales, Today‘s news anchor, and Meredith Vieira, who left the co-host role last year, have been mentioned in talks for the position, news outlets reported.
A decision about Ann Curry’s departure from the show could be made before the Summer Olympics begins in later this summer.
Several staff members who work on the show have blamed Ann Curry as the reason for the decline in ratings after she took over the co-host job, according to the New York Times.
Today lost in the ratings this spring for the first time since 1995 after a string of 852 consecutive weeks.
Since then, Today and Good Morning America have been trading wins.
Some reports suggest the longtime member of the Today show may become a foreign correspondent at the network.
For Ann Curry, however, the reality of ending her time on the program has been difficult.
Attorney Robert B. Barnett is representing Ann Curry in the discussions.
The lawyer is known for having represented Christiane Amanpour in her talks with ABC as she left the news program This Week.
Ann Curry began working as news anchor for the Today show in 1997, a position she held onto until she was promoted to share the hosting role with Matt Lauer.
She has an extensive background in global reporting.
Ann Curry began a career at NBC in 1990 as part of the NBC News team.
