Thomas Roberts To Take Over MSNBC’s ‘Way Too Early’
MSNBC daytime anchor Thomas Roberts will have to set his alarm clock a little earlier going forward: The host is moving from MSNBC’s 11 a.m. hour to “Way Too Early,” the politics-focused daybreak show that precedes the network’s “Morning Joe” ayem talker.
Roberts will replace current “Way Too Early” host Brian Shactman, who said in a prepared statement Friday that he had expressed an interest in broadening his experience beyond politics. Shactman said he would “look forward to announcing my next venture in the very near future.”
The move is the latest in a recent series of tweaks of MSNBC’s daytime schedule. In recent weeks, the NBCUniversal-owned cable-news outlet has eliminated a dual run of Chris Matthews’ late-afternoon program and seen the departure of host Martin Bashir in the wake of that anchor making some controversial remarks on air.
Roberts will begin as anchor of “Way Too Early” on January 13. The show airs between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. eastern during the week, and leads into “Morning Joe,” to which Roberts will also contribute.
“Thomas’ unique personality and point of view are just the right mix to lead-in to ‘Morning Joe,’ said MSNBC President Phil Griffin in a statement. ” Thomas has really found his voice in the past year and joining the ‘Morning Jo’” table gives him the opportunity to further develop it.”
Roberts has been host of “MSNBC Live” at 11 a.m. since 2010. He has also been a fill-in host and contributor to “Morning Joe,” “Way Too Early,” and NBC’s “Today.” MSNBC said it would announce a new host for the 11 a.m. hour in the coming weeks.
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