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.
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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.
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