Curry tells 'Today' viewers she's leaving after year as co-host

6/28/2012

NEW YORK— Ann Curry is officially out as "Today" show co-host after one year.

She announced her departure on the show Thursday, ending a week of awkward television as she continued working after word spread that NBC was looking to oust her. The popular morning show is facing its biggest challenge in the ratings from ABC's resurgent "Good Morning America" since the mid-1990s.

Curry started as the show's news anchor in 1997, and was promoted last June following Meredith Vieira's exit. But things never really clicked with co-host Matt Lauer. "Today" hadn't lost a week in the ratings since 1996 but this spring lost four times.

NBC's Savannah Guthrie is expected to replace Curry.