Rachel Maddow’s latest hiatus is coming to an end!
Rachel Maddow has been absent from her nightly The Rachel Maddow Show since early February, when she said that she was taking a break to work on a movie version of her Bag Man podcast and other projects. She said that there “may eventually be another hiatus again sometime in my future, but for now we’re just taking it one step at a time.”
It’s a short article so I will limit how much I quote. Except this very salient fact…
Maddow is the network’s most watched personality, and the ratings for her show have dropped with fill in hosts. In the first quarter, The Rachel Maddow Show averaged 1.84 million viewers, compared to 3.6 million in the same period in 2021.
A drop in the ratings of almost 2 million viewers. OUCH. Well...good luck to MSNBC and whoever eventually replaces her later this year. Because they’re going to need all the luck they can get.
***UPDATE***
The Los Angeles Times has additional details about Rachel’s timeline as well as the new end-date for her contract that she renewed last year…
Maddow’s return will be welcome by MSNBC executives, who have seen the network’s prime-time ratings sink since the host stepped back. It may only be a brief respite, as Maddow is widely expected to step back from her daily program this summer. MSNBC declined to comment on that possibility.
Maddow agreed to a new contract with NBCUniversal last summer that keeps her at the company through 2024, after she had discussions with CNN about a role on its new streaming service. The company has confirmed that the deal gives her the opportunity to pursue a variety of TV and film projects but has not been specific on how long she is committed to continuing a daily cable TV program.
1) So...it sounds from this article like Rachel’s next hiatus is likely coming this summer. So—June, July or August.
2) Her new contract keeps Rachel on MSNBC through 2024. THANK GOD!
3) Rachel actually had considered going to CNN+. Ugh. I love Rachel, but so glad I won’t have to pay to watch her. And on CNN, of all places.