Megyn Kelly Exits NBC With Remainder of $69 Million Contract

Megyn Kelly Today (Credit: NBC)

NBC News has officially parted ways with Megyn Kelly.

“The parties have resolved their differences, and Megyn Kelly is no longer an employee of NBC,” the network said in a statement Friday evening on nbcnews.com.

The former Megyn Kelly Today anchor exited the network with a reported $30 million payout, most of the remainder of her three-year, $69 million contract. The separation agreement followed months of negotiations between NBC and Kelly’s reps.

Her exit came after the newscaster made racially insensitive remarks in October about using blackface for Halloween costumes.

“But what is racist?” she asked a panel of guests during the Oct. 23 broadcast. “You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween.” (video below)

“Back when I was a kid, that was OK, as long as you were dressing up as like a character,” she continued. “I can’t keep up with the number of people that we’re offending just by being normal people.”

Read MoreMegyn Kelly Makes Tearful On-Air Apology for Blackface Comments

Her comments were immediately met with backlash. Later that day, Kelly sent an apology email to her NBC colleagues.

The next day she made a tearful on-air apology, saying, “I was wrong and I am sorry.”

Yet the criticism continued from viewers, social media users and some of her NBC News colleagues, including Al Roker. She was also said to be shunned by talent agents and Hollywood stars who wanted nothing to do with her show.

Kelly was removed from the air, and her show was soon canceled.

Although whispers about the program’s demise began long before the blackface controversy amid low ratings, and a string of negative headlines about reported clashes with her staff and NBC executives.

Megyn Kelly Today launched to fanfare in September 2017, but the goodwill didn’t last long. Kelly was criticized after a string of uncomfortable interviews, including tense exchanges with actresses Jane Fonda and Debra Messing.

The show suffered lower ratings than the third hour of Today under previous hosts Tamron Hall and Roker.

Rotating anchors now host the newly revamped program, including Dylan Dreyer, Sheinelle Jones, Craig Melvin and Al Roker.

Kelly, a former Fox News anchor, told celebrity photographers Thursday night during a sidewalk interview that she will “definitely” be back on TV this year. TMZ posted video of her remarks.