Investigating What Megyn Kelly Is Up to These Days

Red, Pink, Yellow, Fashion, Event, Blond, Performance, Convention, Magenta,

(Image credit: NBC)

published 13 December 2019

On December 20, 2019, one of the most anticipated movies of the year is getting a wide release: Bombshell dives into the Fox News scandal with Roger Ailes during a particularly tumultuous time at the news channel and in the country. It shows Megyn Kelly's last years at Fox before she departed, during which she confirmed sexual harassment from Ailes, as well as the repercussions of her hosting a now-infamous 2015 presidential debate.

The film, which is getting a ton of buzz, stars Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil (a fictional representation of several real-life women), Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, and Charlize Theron as Kelly. It's been quite a journey for Kelly since that time—she moved from Fox to NBC, and what she's up to these days is less clear.

Pink, Event, Fashion, Dress, Blond, Award, — Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), and Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie) in Bombshell.

Kelly left Fox News in 2017.

So, it was a tumultuous last few years for Kelly at Fox. After the 2015 Fox debate, Trump made disparaging comments about her, and she said she was disappointed by the lack of support from her Fox colleagues. In 2016, Kelly hosted a one-hour primetime special, but the ratings weren't as high as hoped.

Kelly's contract was set to expire in 2017, and it was speculated that there was increased pressure on her to obtain ratings, including on her show The Kelly File, in order to secure a new one. In late 2016, Kelly was said to be looking elsewhere.

She started with NBC soon after.

According to the New York Times, Kelly would have a "triple role" at NBC: anchor, host of Megyn Kelly Today during The Today Show, and a Sunday night news show, plus major breaking news coverage as well. Kelly began hosting her own show in September 2017, but it lasted a little more than a year due to poor ratings—it was cancelled in October 2018. Kelly also had mixed reviews from viewers and other colleagues. Of the many controversial things she's said over the years, one comment about the potential appropriateness of blackface caused her to issue an apology internally.

She officially left NBC in January 2019.

According to TMZ, Kelly's settlement with NBC to take her off the air was $35 million, and there hasn't been a formal announcement from her ever since. So the short answer is, she's not really doing anything right now. From Instagram, however, it does look like she is covering breaking news and doing interviews:

A post shared by Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly)
A photo posted by on

She told TMZ she'd be back on TV in 2019 without providing specific details.

Bombshell premieres in theaters everywhere December 20, 2019.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.