Ann Curry Fired: Tearful Goodbye Confirms Anchor Was Pushed

Ann Curry has told her Today show fans, "It's not how I expected to leave this couch after 15 years," sparking rumors that she had been pushed, rather than she jumped by her own accord.

Thursday saw a tearful farewell from the Today show anchor, and she said an emotional goodbye to viewers with her voice cracking.

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However, television moves on quickly, and Friday saw Savannah Guthrie take over in Ann Curry's old co-host seat at NBC's Studio 1A on the Today show.

Guthrie took over the co-hosting role for the first two hours of the show, sitting next to veteran host Matt Lauer. Together they discussed the Colorado wildfires and the fallout from the Supreme Court's ruling supporting President Obama's health-care plan. NBC has not yet made an official acknowledgement on whether Guthrie was filling a temporary or permanent role, according to the New York Daily News.

The network skipped the traditional opening voiceover announcing the names of the co-hosts, and did not run Guthrie's or Lauer's name on the screen. Lauer and Guthrie also made no mention of her status at the end of the 7-9 a.m. portion of the show, according to the report.

Guthrie continued to resume her original role as host of the third hour at 9.a.m. According to the New York Times, a transition is expected to be low-key and with little fanfare. An announcement is expected to come on July 9.

Commentators have been saying that the low-key transition could be because producers are fearing a negative backlash from Curry's fans.

Curry said during Thursday's show: "This is not easy to say, but today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of 'Today.' I will still be a part of the 'Today' show family, but I'll have a new title and a new role, and this is not how I expected to ever leave this couch after 15 years. But I am so grateful, especially to all of you who watch."

"For all of you who saw me as groundbreaker, I'm sorry I couldn't carry the ball over the finish line. Man, I did try and so to all of you who watched, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me touch yours," she also said.