7 Possible Megyn Kelly Replacements for NBC’s ‘Today’ Show

With Megyn Kelly Today officially over at NBC following last week’s controversy surrounding Kelly’s stance on blackface, her 9 a.m. hour of the Today show is seemingly up for grabs — but who will replace the one-time Fox News host? Will the peacock network select one of its own tried and true anchors, like Al Roker or Craig Melvin? It’s also possible the network could make another outside hire for the job.

Continue scrolling to discover who might possibly take Kelly’s seat on Today.

Al Roker

It’s quite possible that Al Roker will be handed back his hosting gig for the 9 a.m. hour of the Today show — after all, he and Tamron Hall were successfully hosting it last year before being replaced by Kelly once NBC hired her from Fox News. TMZ reports that Roker will be “a big part of” the new show after being disappointed last year when he was replaced.

After Kelly defended the use of blackface on Halloween during her show last week, Roker criticized his peer and said she “owes a bigger apology to folk of color around the country.”

Tamron Hall

Following NBC’s announcement Friday that Megyn Kelly Today would not be returning to airwaves, many on social media requested that Tamron Hall return to the network. Hall, who abruptly left NBC the day her contract was up in February 2017, seemed open to the idea.

When one fan asked if anyone knew what Hall was “doing right now,” Hall replied directly.

“I do!! I do!! See my pinned tweet about my syndicated talk show. Oh and raising money for @SafeHorizon Tamron Renate fund!” she wrote. “Oh and taping Season 6 of #deadlinecrime and oh ‘livin’ my best life.”

She slyly added: “I hope that’s enough.”

She fueled the fire by posting a photo of herself and Roker onstage at a Broadway musical on Thursday night.

Kelly Clarkson

Some sources say that NBC is thinking about Kelly Clarkson, who is currently in her first season as a coach on The Voice. She’s also had some experience on daytime TV with a talk show of her own, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which Variety reported was picked up by the NBC Owned Television Station Group. It’s set to premiere in fall 2019.

Sources reportedly told RadarOnline that NBC executives “think it might be the perfect time to give [Megyn Kelly’s] Today time slot to [Clarkson], who has a huge fan base and is extremely well-liked and relatable.”

Craig Melvin

Melvin was one of Kelly’s NBC co-workers who spoke out against her remarks last week, calling her out for being “stupid” and “indefensible.” He pointed out that the controversy was an opportunity to inform people — but said many people already knew how offensive blackface is.

Melvin was recently tapped as a new weekday anchor of the Today show after he stepped down from Today‘s Saturday edition. He also anchors MSNBC Live at 1 p.m. on weekdays.

Peter Alexander

Peter Alexander made headlines this weekend, officially joining Today as a co-anchor of the Saturday morning version of the morning show; he had previously been filling in for Melvin. While it’s unlikely Alexander would switch positions again so quickly, some people are wondering if the network has their eye on Alexander for the 9 a.m. weekday hour.

Jenna Bush Hager

Jenna Bush Hager, who hosted the second half of Monday’s 9 a.m. hour, could be a likely replacement.

Today anchor Hoda Kotb addressed the change at the top of the hour. “Today, as you know, we are starting a new chapter in the third hour of our show,” she explained, sitting next to Melvin and Roker. “And as it evolved we want you to know the entire Today family will continue to bring you informative and important stories just as we always have.”

The first half-hour of what was previously Megyn Kelly Today was devoted to coverage of Saturday’s mass shooting in Pittsburgh, where anchor Savannah Guthrie was reporting. But during the second half, Bush Hager appeared alone in Kelly’s studio with no live audience. She did her first segment alone before being joined by Melvin and Roker for an interview.

Sheinelle Jones

Co-host of Weekend Today alongside Peter Alexander and Dylan Dreyer, Sheinelle Jones could be considered for Kelly’s former hour. The Emmy-winning journalist has been on the Saturday edition of Today since September 2014 and also fills in as a weekday correspondent.