Watch an emotional Megyn Kelly announce her departure to NBC on Fox News


NBC announced Tuesday that Megyn Kelly is joining the NBC News family, and on Tuesday's Kelly File, Kelly delivered the news to her Fox News audience. The decision to "pursue a new challenge" was a tough one, she said, with moist eyes, because she loves the show, her staff, her colleagues at Fox News, and especially her viewers. She decided to make the switch, despite a reported Fox News offer of $20 million a year, because of the "human connection" she misses with her young children, she said. Her "new adventure" will involve "joining the journalists at NBC News, who I deeply admire," Kelly said, but she wasn't burning bridges. Kelly said she is "deeply thankful to Fox News," the Murdoch family, and her colleagues, whom she described as a "second family."
Like in all families, Kelly has had some spats with her colleagues, notably fellow nighttime anchors Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, as well as former boss Roger Ailes. Presumably, Fox News has another person of Irish heritage ready to take her prime-time slot when Kelly steps down at the end of this week.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate