Maddow Announces Big Shift: 'We Will See How Things Go'

She'll be hosting her MSNBC program on Mondays only starting in May
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 12, 2022 9:10 AM CDT
Rachel Maddow Is Back, With a Twist
MSNBC television anchor Rachel Maddow is seen moderating a panel on Oct. 16, 2017, in Cambridge, Mass.   (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Rachel Maddow will be sticking with her MSNBC program for the near future, but viewers hoping to see her return more fully to it are in for some disappointment. The 49-year-old host has been on a two-month hiatus from The Rachel Maddow Show, which airs each weeknight at 9pm ET, to work on a movie adaptation of her book and podcast about Nixon VP Spiro Agnew. The Los Angeles Times reports she was back behind her show's desk on Monday night, but with an announcement: She's back four nights a week—Monday through Thursday—through the end of April, then will be back on Mondays only starting in May.

Once Maddow switches to her new routine next month, the show will be rebranded as MSNBC Prime on the nights she's not hosting, with a revolving roster of hosts—possibly to include Jen Psaki, who's expected to step out of her role as White House press secretary soon. Variety compares Maddow's new format to that of John Oliver, whose HBO show takes a look at the news just once a week. "This might change. We will see how things go, but that is the plan as of now," Maddow said on Monday's show, per Deadline. The outlet notes the shift isn't a total surprise, after Maddow inked a new deal with NBCUniversal last summer that gave her more leeway to work on film, TV, and podcast projects.

Since she took her leave, viewership has taken a dip compared to last year, though another leave is apparently not on the horizon. "One of the things I realized ... to my surprise, is that I actually don't really need another hiatus," she said Monday. "This one was great, but I think I only needed the one." Maddow also hinted that she may show up on screen more often around the midterms, or during coverage for other special events or big news stories. In her own words, "the situation remains 'fluid,'" per the Times. (More Rachel Maddow stories.)

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