Network Execs Call Megyn Kelly “Toxic” Amid Blackface Controversy: “We Wouldn’t Hire Her In a Million Years”

Megyn Kelly‘s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week continues to get worse. On Tuesday, the Megyn Kelly Today host defended blackface, saying it was “okay” when she was younger, and on Wednesday, she issued a tearful apology and promised that she had “learned” from the experience. Wednesday night, things got worse for Kelly when multiple outlets reported that her 9 a.m. Today hour is on the brink of cancellation. But that’s not all: within just a few hours, a flurry of reports surfaced about Kelly dropping her agent, pitching her show to rival networks, and ending Megyn Kelly Today much sooner than expected — as in, as soon as this week.

According to CNN, Kelly’s departure from NBC may be immediate. Two sources close to the situation confirmed to CNN that “Kelly’s show will be ending,” and they said that the network is currently discussing how to wrap up the show. “Kelly will not be hosting Thursday’s program, and she is unlikely to return later,” one source told CNN. Decider can confirm that Kelly was nowhere to be found on Thursday’s broadcast — instead, Megyn Kelly Today aired a re-run in lieu of a regularly-scheduled new episode. Shortly after the re-run aired, NBC News said, “Given the circumstances, Megyn Kelly Today will be on tape the rest of the week.”

Variety reported that Kelly’s show is ending because she wants to take on a harder-hitting role with NBC News, but sources tell DailyMail that this is not the case. According to the DailyMail’s sources, many of whom work at rival networks, the Megyn Kelly Today team has been reaching out in hopes of finding a new home for the Today host. An insider at Kelly’s old agency, CAA (Kelly made a sudden switch to UTA Wednesday night), told the publication that there “have been some preliminary discussions” about moving Kelly to another network, but they said “it is normal” for these kinds of conversations to happen and suggested that people shouldn’t “make too much of it.” However, Kelly’s publicist directly contradicted the CAA insider, saying that reports of Kelly’s team reaching out to other networks are “absolutely false.”

Regardless, it doesn’t seem that network execs are interested in taking on the controversial host. “We wouldn’t hire her in a million years. She’s toxic and her personal brand is finished,” said one ABC exec. “That hour used to be a ratings hit,” said an NBC executive. “Now viewers get to witness the greatest example of white privilege on television. She defended blackface. I mean how is this acceptable in any what? She needs to go.” The exec went on to say that NBC News chairman Andy Lack and president Noah Oppenheim are at fault, too. “They gave her the $69 million and all she has delivered is scandal after scandal. Add production costs and they are responsible for a $100 million shit show at 9 a.m. every morning.”

To top it all off, Kelly’s remaining time at Megyn Kelly Today (however long that may be) has been complicated by guests who are reluctant to stop by. After Kelly’s blackface comments came to light, the House of Cards cast members and producers who were slated to appear on the show next week pulled out, leaving NBC’s talent bookers with a last-minute slot to fill. This is not the first time that Kelly has had a hard time landing guests: after the show’s rocky start last fall, publicists said that the buzz surrounding the new Today hour was “so bad” that they were “not booking anyone on her show.”

Will Megyn Kelly rebound, or is the last that we’ll see of her at NBC? Stay tuned for next week’s episode of “A $100 Million Shit Show at 9 a.m.” to find out.

Where to watch Megyn Kelly Today