OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is taking a hiatus from her prime time show on the left-leaning network.
So who will fill the void?
According to the New York Post, the network may be aiming to hire current White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who is reportedly considering an exit at the Biden White House.
The Post reported:
Psaki, who has plans to leave the White House this year, is being courted by several news networks, including CNN and MSNBC, according to the newsletter Puck.
A source told The Post that UTA super agent and co-president Jay Sures shopped the idea of Psaki as a potential cable news primetime host all over town, drumming up interest, before he signed her.
His timing couldn’t be better as TV networks are looking to shake up their lineups. And perhaps more urgently for CNN and MSNBC, both networks are in need of new blood for their primetime shows.
MSNBC lost its star anchor, Maddow, who has stepped away from her 9 p.m. ET show in order to pursue other projects.
And CNN is on the hunt for somebody to anchor its 9 p.m. show after Chris Cuomo was fired late last year after sexual misconduct allegations came to light, as well as revelations that he secretly aided the defense of his embattled older brother, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki rumoured to replace Rachel Maddow on MSNBC https://t.co/sypL684y7n
— The Independent (@Independent) February 25, 2022
Jen Psaki, who plans to leave the White House this year, is being feverishly courted by CNN and MSNBC.
Would you watch her show? ✋
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) February 23, 2022
She'd be a great fit at either sinking ship – the perfect storm of elitism, smarm and ignorance.
MSNBC, CNN battling over Jen Psaki for network role after she leaves Biden White House https://t.co/OmaPjR0A8e #FoxNews
— Lori Helms (@tennistrix) February 25, 2022
Last month, Maddow announced that she is taking a hiatus from her prime time show.
“Rachel Maddow plans to step away from her show for a few weeks beginning this Friday, with plans to use the time to develop other projects for NBCUniversal, the MSNBC host announced on her show Monday night. Maddow said that one of those projects is a movie adaptation of her book Bag Man, which will be produced by Lorne Michaels and directed by Ben Stiller,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Hollywood Reporter added in its report:
An MSNBC source said that a rotating group of hosts is expected to fill in for her while she’s gone. Maddow is expected to continue appearing on special event coverage, such as the State of the Union address, which is slated to be held on March 1, and she confirmed as much on her show.
It isn’t immediately clear how long Maddow will be off her show (the source said it would be “several weeks”). However, Maddow suggested on her program that she would be back in April, which would imply that she will be out for all of February and March.
The hiatus stems from Maddow’s new deal with NBCUniversal, signed last August, that included developing a broad range of new projects for the company, with an expectation that she would cut back on her nightly MSNBC duties.
The Bag Man podcast (and more) here: https://t.co/4YwudFl6XH
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) February 1, 2022
Rachel Maddow is expected to tell her viewers Monday that she's taking a hiatus of several weeks from her weeknight MSNBC show. A person with knowledge of the plans tells @AP Maddow plans to work on a new podcast for NBC Universal. https://t.co/Q0XOWB1U0i
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 31, 2022