Ann Curry Vindicated By TODAY Decline, Hoda Kotb Flown To London To Boost NBC Olympics Ratings
Former "Today" anchor Ann Curry is reportedly feeling "vindicated" as the ratings decline continue for the NBC morning show.
"Ann feels completely vindicated by the 'Today' show's poor ratings since she left," a source told Radar Online. "She feels she was fired completely unfairly and wasn't given a fair shot at the gig."
The 55-year-old's comments were revealed after NBC flew "Today" show host Hoda Kotb to cover the Olympics in a last-minute decision to help boost the network's ratings. Kotb joined Savannah Guthrie and her co-hosts Matt Lauer, Natalie Morales and Al Roker in London.
"Ann feels she was made a scapegoat by the network and that it's the whole show that needed an overhaul, not her replacing," the source told Radar Online exclusively. "Ann believes that point has been proved by the show's ratings declining even further since she left."
The Daily News reported that NBC failed to beat rival morning show ABC's "Good Morning America" since the Olympics began. The network had high hopes for an increase in viewers after Savannah Guthrie, Curry's replacement, filled her seat on July 9.
"Packing my bags and heading to London this weekend - thx for all the story suggestions. You know I will do them!" the 47-year-old tweeted Friday.
"They called Hoda on Thursday begging her to go to London because they said it wasn't working like they thought," the source revealed.
Kotb received a call from the network when she had a two-week vacation planned. "They called Hoda on Thursday begging her to go to London because they said it wasn't working like they thought," the source added.
NBC claims they made prior arrangements to send Kotb, citing an announcement on July 17 by co-host Kathie Lee Gifford and a blog posted on July 20 that stated she was going.
Kotb co-hosts the fourth hour of "Today" with Kathie Lee. The 40-year-old was promoted from the 9 a.m. hour.
"We gave her a year to prove herself, and ultimately we came to the conclusion that she had played at the highest level she could," President of NBC Steve Capus told The Hollywood Reporter.
