Rachel Maddow reportedly might leave MSNBC

Could MSNBC's biggest star be eying an exit?

Rachel Maddow is "seriously considering" leaving MSNBC when her contract ends in early 2022, The Daily Beast revealed Thursday. She has hosted The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC since 2008 and is the network's highest-rated personality.

According to the report, Maddow isn't likely to head to a rival network, but she's reportedly "intrigued by opportunities in the streaming and podcasting space" and could start her own media company. CNN media reporter Brian Stelter backed up The Daily Beast's reporting, saying he's "been hearing the same and was working on a story about it."

Maddow's agent Mark Shapiro told The Daily Beast that "nothing has been decided," adding that "we are deep into it with NBCUniversal and Rachel has an excellent relationship with them." MSNBC said it wouldn't "comment on employee matters," but the report says the network has been taking "major steps" to get her to stay and has floated the idea of offering her a reduced schedule.

As the Beast notes, Maddow previously said in an interview with The New York Times that she was so busy with her show that she didn't have much time to herself. "It's not good for you to work incessant long days, five days a week, 50 weeks a year for 10 years," she said.

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