NBC’s Meredith Vieira On Deciding To Leave TODAY: ‘I Had To Go With My Gut’

In her first comments since announcing on-air this morning that she would leave NBC’s TODAY in June, Meredith Vieira told reporters it was a “tough decision” that took months to make to decide to depart the program. “I had to go with my gut, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Vieira said she began considering a departure from television’s top-rated network morning show in January, but didn’t say anything about the move officially until she announced her decision Monday morning on the show–confirming one of the worst kept secrets in television. “It didn’t take WikiLeaks for this to come out,” said NBC News president Steve Capus.

Vieira said the decision to walk away from TODAY was not easy, and she didn’t make up her mind until the last minute. “I was feeling torn, because I love it here,” she said. “But I had personal issues that were weighing on me.” It’s been reported that Vieira’s husband Richard is ailing, though she said today that he is in good health. Vieira said stories describing her departure as a move being forced by a gravely ill spouse were simply wrong. “Poor Meredith and her invalid husband,” she said, describing the tone of stories she read. “It diminished him, those articles, and it diminished me. I just wanted to set the record straight.”

Vieira’s last day on TODAY will be June 8. Her replacement beside Matt Lauer is Ann Curry, who has long been a part of TODAY as news reader and fill-in co-host. TODAY executive producer Jim Bell said the search for Vieira’s replacement was not a difficult one. “We didn’t have to go too far, just ten feet over to the newsdesk.”

The result is a transition that the network hopes and expects will be “seamless.” Capus says having so much talent associated with one program, and being able to move Curry into the co-host’s role, demonstrates that the move is being done “from a position of strength.”

As for rumors that another major shakeup–the departure of Lauer–could be in the works, Lauer confirmed he had met with departing CBS News anchor (and former TODAY co-host Katie Couric, but no, there won’t be a Lauer-Couric daytime show. “It’s not going to happen.” Lauer, who said of Vieira, “I have never enjoyed working with anyone as much as Meredith,” also insisted he’s firmly entrenched in his spot on the couch at TODAY.

“I read the speculation as well,” said Lauer. “I have a long term deal with NBC. I love this job. I love this place. It’s not worth talking about. I’m going to be here a while.”

Capus says NBC is now negotiating with Vieira on a new arrangement that will keep her at the network in some capacity, reporting occasionally for TODAY and perhaps working on other projects. “We love what Meredith has done, and we’re looking for a way to keep it going.”