Megyn Kelly is now not only one of the highest-paid female TV anchors, she also reportedly makes more than any on-air talent at NBC following the termination of her colleague, longtime Today Show co-host Matt Lauer.
The network announced Wednesday morning that Lauer had been terminated from NBC News after more than two decades as co-host of the Today Show following accusations of sexual misconduct. NBC News chairman Andy Lack said that a complaint had been filed against Lauer on Monday night. “While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident,” Lack said in a statement.
Lauer was not only known as the face of the Today Show, but for his hefty compensation. In Nov. 2016, Lauer signed a two-year contract at Today for $20 million a year, according to the Hollywood Reporter. This August, Variety estimated his annual salary to be even higher, at $25 million.
But with Lauer’s departure, according to the list compiled by Variety, that leaves Kelly as his replacement for the highest paid on-air personality at NBC. Variety estimates that Kelly, who left Fox News for NBC earlier this year, has an annual salary of $18 million. While that ties her with ABC News’ Robin Roberts as the highest-paid female TV anchors, it would put her at the top of the list at her own network.