NBC News anchor Chuck Todd is speaking candidly for the first time since announcing he would depart Meet The Press later this year.
During an interview with 77 WABC host Sid Rosenberg, Todd said he has lost the motivation to continue moderating the political affairs program after some happenings in his personal life.
“It’s been a combination of things. They’re both personal. I lost my two closest friends in the last nine months. One to cancer. And then my best adult friend about six weeks ago, died of a complication in surgery and they’re both about my age. We have kids around the same age — and particularly one friend — he and his wife — it was just, they were right there,” Todd admitted. “Their last kid was a freshman in college. And they were just — you’ve got that next phase of your life that’s going to be a little more yours, and all of that and just taken away from all of them.
“You throw all that together and you say ‘It’s been a good run’. And I just didn’t have the motivation. The motivation got sucked out of me. 2024 is the first time I’ve not looked forward to a presidential election. Throw it all together, and it just felt like the right time to pause.”
Todd continued by saying he has no regrets about making the decision.
“Ever since I made the decision so great. It is like a weight off the shoulders. And I say that I love Meet the Press. I’ve loved what I’ve done, but I also feel a sense of accomplishment and I’m ready for a new challenge. And if you throw all that in together, you do something the same thing for nine years, and at some point it becomes work. No matter how much you love it.”
