Maddow will host her 9pm MSNBC show on Mondays only, starting in May
- Sara Fischer, author of Axios Media Trends
Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Rachel Maddow returned to her 9 p.m. show Monday after a brief hiatus — announcing she'll continue to host her show Mondays through Thursdays for the rest of the month and then will only host on Mondays beginning in May.
Why it matters: Maddow was expected to fully leave her position as MSNBC's weekday 9 p.m. primetime host later this year. The new arrangement puts pressure on MSNBC to find Maddow's replacement.
Details: Starting in May, "I'm going to be here weekly," Maddow told viewers. "I'm going to be here on Monday nights, again to give myself just more time to work on some of this other stuff that I’ve got cooking for MSNBC and NBC," she continued.
- "[T]his might change," she added. "[W]e'll see how things go, but that's the plan as of now, so now you know and we will never speak of it again."
- On the days Maddow is not hosting, the 9 p.m. ET hour will be hosted by a rotating group of hosts.
The big picture: Maddow reached a multiyear deal with NBCUniversal to expand her purview to a broad range of products, including books, documentaries, movies, TV series and podcasts.
- She will continue to appear on MSNBC for special coverage and major news events, including the midterm elections.