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A week after it was confirmed that Tamron Hall walked away from NBC’s TODAY show, PEOPLE Magazine published a report that sheds light on why she refused a new multi-million dollar deal. Hall left after learning that incoming former Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, who is joining the network in September, would be taking over her 9am slot.

Sources told the publication that after working at NBC and its sister station MSNBC for a decade, Hall was furious and offended that she was losing her high profile role to Kelly. She also looked at the situation as a “demotion.”

“She wasn’t going to settle for sitting on the sidelines,” one of Hall’s source told the publication.

In addition, Hall’s good friend and TV writer-producer Mara Brock Akil told PEOPLE, “She basically said thank you, but no thank you.”  She added: “Tamron’s a woman of integrity and she’s writing her own story.” 

(Apparently, Brock Akil used Hall as the muse for Gabrielle Union’s career-driven character on the hit BET show Being Mary Jane.)

No one can really blame Hall for feeling a way about being pushed aside for Kelly.

As we previously reported, the white conservative journalist has been a controversial media figure, spending the past 12 years on Fox News race baiting, downplaying the need for feminism and spewing homophobic rhetoric on-air. During her tenure at the problematic cable news network, she blamed Sandra Bland’s death on her own noncompliance to a traffic violation arrestcalled former First Lady Michelle Obama a whiner for speaking about racism; and even assured children that Santa is really white.

Hall was the first Black woman to co-host the TODAY show in its 65-year history and was honored to be offered the job in 2014.

“My mother called me and said ‘You know I was reading somewhere that you will be the first black woman to host the Today show ever’… I just started crying,” Hall told PEOPLE in a past interview. “With all the adversities, there I was accomplishing something beyond anything that I imagined.”

“I know it’s rare to have a single black woman on morning TV. I love my job and the relationship I have with the viewers.” she added.

Whatever the future holds for Hall, we know that it will be bright and prosperous. You make us proud Tamron!

RELATED LINKS:

Tamron Hall Dedicates First Day Away From NBC To HIV/AIDS Charity

Tamron Hall Leaves NBC News And MSNBC After Megyn Kelly ‘Today’ Show Shakeup

Wayment! Are Tamron Hall And Al Roker Out At The ‘Today Show’ To Make Room For Megyn Kelly?

Why Tamron Hall Left NBC: ‘She Wasn’t Going To Settle For Sitting On The Sidelines’  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com