Tamron Hall says there’s no truth to reports that she fired 20 staffers from her daytime talk show, while making millions and “securing bags” for herself.
The Tamron Hall show host posted a video on IGTV Wednesday in response to reports that she parted ways with 20 employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know there’s so much going on right now, big things and important things on all of our hearts, but I have to get this off my chest,” she began. “That story that I did not pay 20 people and fired them and left them hanging is a lie.”
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She added that while many businesses laid off or furloughed workers due to the pandemic, her executive team actually extended its production schedule to keep people working for an additional 20 days.
“In fact, our season was supposed to wrap June 5, I fought to have the extension of the season to June 25,” she said. “My creative team was paid through the pandemic and through the extension because I wanted to keep pushing and keep putting out stories that matter to you. To cry together to laugh together to talk all of those things that’s what I wanted to do and my new executive producer Candi Carter fought to help me get there.”
Hall did note that there were changes behind the scenes, but said they were meant to make the show “better” for its next season.
“And like any other show, like any other product, people make changes and we did, after the season had wrapped. Not during, not while,” she explained. “So this notion that I ran off securing bags, it is not true. It is absolutely not, and the notion that I’ve abandoned people, it’s not,” she said.
“But I have a right, and every person who runs a company, or has anything that is yours, you have a right to make it better,” she concluded.
Hall then posted a copy of an email she sent to her staff in April after one employee tried to start what she called a “mutiny,” urging co-workers not to come to work.
The letter explained why production was resumed on the show with at-home episodes after a brief hiatus because of the pandemic. Hall also praised staff members for their hard work and asked for anyone who was unhappy to contact the show’s senior leaders, directly or anonymously.
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Hall’s social media posts came after a June 26 report in the Daily Mail alleging that there was a “giant blood bath” at the talk show, while its host is “living her best life” thanks to a multi-million dollar salary.
The article quoted anonymous production sources who claimed senior producers and audience team employees were all fired last week. The report was picked up by several gossip websites.
The Tamron Hall show launched in September and was recently renewed for a second season.
