Following weeks of speculation, Meredith Vieira has confirmed she is quitting NBC's Today after five years.
The 57-year-old fought back tears as she made the announcement on the show this morning, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Ms Vieira will step down in June, when she will be replaced as co-anchor by colleague Ann Curry.
She said: 'This is a difficult day for me. I'm going to try to hold myself together here.
'Even as I say this and I know that it's the right thing, I'm really sad, because for the past - I'd like to say ten years, but it's only five - this has been by second home.'
Her departure was first rumoured in April, soon after her predecessor, Katie Couric, revealed she was planning to leave CBS.
Ms Vieira was said to have been tired of the early-morning starts, and wanted to spend more time caring for her husband, author Richard M Cohen, who has fought multiple sclerosis and colon cancer.
This morning she told viewers she had made the decision after 'after months of personal reflection and private conversations with my family and my friends.'
She said: 'I've really had a great time, but time is one of those weird things, you can never get enough of it, and it just keeps ticking away, and I know that I want to spend more of mine with my husband Richard, and my kids, Ben, Gabe and Lily.'
Her co-host, Matt Lauer, said Ms Vieira was 'universally adored'. He said she had 'brought class and dignity and talent and a joy of life to this show for the last five years, and we will miss you like crazy.'
She joined the Today team in 2006 to replace Ms Couric, who left to anchor CBS News after 15 years on the show.
Transitions are unusual for Today, and Ms Vieira was still the newest member of the team.
In a statement, NBC said: 'Meredith will continue in a new role at NBC News, with an official announcement in the coming months.'
But Ms Vieira did not seem quite so sure. She said: 'I really hope to stay in the NBC family. That is my goal.'
Her replacement, Ms Curry, has worked on the show since 1997 as the newsreader.
She was passed over for the top job when Ms Couric left, but made a name for herself as a globe-trotting reporter.
This morning she said: 'I feel like the high school computer nerd who has just been asked to the prom by the quarterback of the football team.'
Natalie Morales, an anchor for the show's third hour, will take on the vacant role as newsreader, and she will be replaced by Savannah Guthrie.
Last week TMZ reported Ms Couric is close to signing a $20million deal with ABC for a new talk show.
The 57-year-old fought back tears as she made the announcement on the show this morning, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Ms Vieira will step down in June, when she will be replaced as co-anchor by colleague Ann Curry.
She said: 'This is a difficult day for me. I'm going to try to hold myself together here.
'Even as I say this and I know that it's the right thing, I'm really sad, because for the past - I'd like to say ten years, but it's only five - this has been by second home.'
Her departure was first rumoured in April, soon after her predecessor, Katie Couric, revealed she was planning to leave CBS.
Ms Vieira was said to have been tired of the early-morning starts, and wanted to spend more time caring for her husband, author Richard M Cohen, who has fought multiple sclerosis and colon cancer.
This morning she told viewers she had made the decision after 'after months of personal reflection and private conversations with my family and my friends.'
She said: 'I've really had a great time, but time is one of those weird things, you can never get enough of it, and it just keeps ticking away, and I know that I want to spend more of mine with my husband Richard, and my kids, Ben, Gabe and Lily.'
Her co-host, Matt Lauer, said Ms Vieira was 'universally adored'. He said she had 'brought class and dignity and talent and a joy of life to this show for the last five years, and we will miss you like crazy.'
She joined the Today team in 2006 to replace Ms Couric, who left to anchor CBS News after 15 years on the show.
Transitions are unusual for Today, and Ms Vieira was still the newest member of the team.
In a statement, NBC said: 'Meredith will continue in a new role at NBC News, with an official announcement in the coming months.'
But Ms Vieira did not seem quite so sure. She said: 'I really hope to stay in the NBC family. That is my goal.'
Her replacement, Ms Curry, has worked on the show since 1997 as the newsreader.
This morning she said: 'I feel like the high school computer nerd who has just been asked to the prom by the quarterback of the football team.'
Natalie Morales, an anchor for the show's third hour, will take on the vacant role as newsreader, and she will be replaced by Savannah Guthrie.
Last week TMZ reported Ms Couric is close to signing a $20million deal with ABC for a new talk show.
