After days of media speculation that Today show co-host Ann Curry would be stepping down from her role, the journalist announced in an emotional goodbye that Thursday would be her last day.
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Rumors began circulating late last week that Curry was offered a $10 million deal to leave the company one year early of her two-year $20 million contract. (She was named co-host last year when Meredith Viera resigned). Reports also indicated that NBC offered her position to Today show newcomer Savannah Gutherie.
"Today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of Today," Curry said live on the show. "I will still be a part of the Today show family, but I'm going to have a new title and a new role. This is not as I expected to ever leave this couch after 15 years, but I am so grateful, especially to all of you that watch."
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Curry's farewell was about five minutes long, whereas Today gave previous co-host Viera a two-hour goodbye show.
She will be joining NBC News as a foreign correspondent and will produce news clips that will air on all of the network's platforms, including Today.
"They are giving me some fancy new titles, which essentially means I will get tickets to every big story we want that we will cover with a terrific team of my choosing," Curry said. "We are going to go all over the world and this country, at a time when this country and this world needs clarity."
According to a report, Curry said media coverage helped push her out of her current role: "I don't know who has been behind the leaks, but no question they've hurt deeply."
The report also notes that Curry said she wanted more times to build chemistry with co-host Matt Lauer -- something some have said the duo have lacked.
During her goodbye, she was joined on the couch with Lauer, Al Roker and Natalie Morales, who comforted and shared their favorite memories of Curry over the years.
"[Thank you] to all of you who saw me as a ground breaker," Curry said, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't carry the ball over the finish line, but man, I did try."
For a look at Ann Curry's first day as anchor on Today on June 9, 2011, check out the video below.
Do you think Curry should have been ousted so early? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable .
