Megyn Kelly is breaking her silence on the latest round of claims being leveled against her former “Today” show colleague, Matt Lauer.
Kelly, whose time at NBC only lasted about 16 months from June 2017 until the fall of 2018, released a statement exclusively to Page Six one week after it was revealed that Lauer’s accuser, Brooke Nevils, claimed in Ronan Farrow’s new book “Catch and Kill” that Lauer raped her at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
In her brief statement, the former Fox News host praised Ann Curry and Meredith Vieira for encouraging younger women with claims about Lauer to come forward and report their allegations.
“Let’s not lose sight of the forces for good in this story, like former Lauer co-host Ann Curry, who, despite the risks, sounded the alarm on Lauer in 2012 after a young woman complained to her,” Kelly said. “And Meredith Vieira, who, when confronted with Brooke Nevils’ account, told her to go report it.”
80 PHOTOSInside the career of Megyn KellySee GalleryInside the career of Megyn Kelly
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – OCTOBER 02:Megyn Kelly speaks onstage at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit 2018 at Ritz Carlton Hotel on October 2, 2018 in Laguna Niguel, California.(Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Fortune)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly, Chuck Todd, Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt and Andrea Mitchell on Thursday, September 27, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: (l-r) Megyn Kelly and Douglas Brunt on Wednesday June 13, 2018 — (Photo by: Zach Pagano/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Friday, June 8, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, June 4, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: (l-r) Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Megyn Kelly, Kathie Lee Gifford and Al Roker for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on Friday May 18, 2018 in Windsor, England. — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 14:Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Megyn Kelly, and Chuck Todd attend the 2018 NBCUniversal Upfront Presentation at Rockefeller Center on May 14, 2018 in New York City.(Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Friday, May 11, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 24:Megyn Kelly seen in Columbus Circle on her way to the 2018 Time 100 Gala on April 24, 2018 in New York City.(Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, April 23, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, March 26, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, January 22, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Wednesday Jan. 10, 2018 — (Photo by: Zach Pagano/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly and Al Roker on Thursday, January 4, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, December 3, 2018 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Holiday Gift Ideas on Thursday, December 21, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Patti LaBelle on Friday, December 15, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Thursday, December 14, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Thursday, December 7, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Friday, December 1, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 30:Megyn Kelly and Diana Williams attend the 2017 Gold & Silver Circle Induction Ceremony at The Lambs Club on November 30, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Steve Mack/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 30:Presenter Megyn Kelly and Silver Circle Inductee Susan Lucci at the 2017 Gold & Silver Circle Induction Ceremony at The Lambs Club on November 30, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Steve Mack/Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Thursday, November 30, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 29:Megyn Kelly, NBC News Anchor and host of ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ speaks onstage with Alyson Shontell at IGNITION: Future of Media at Time Warner Center on November 29, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: (l-r) Luke Piazza, Megyn Kelly and Alex Voglewede on Tuesday Nov. 28, 2017 — (Photo by: Tyler Essary/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly and Karen Tack on Friday, November 17, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – November 15: Megyn Kelly attends the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Double Helix Medals Dinner at the American Museum of Natural History Street on November 15, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 14: Megyn Kelly is seen during an appearance on ‘Access Hollywood’ on November 14, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by MediaPunch/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Joe Worley, Stacy Persall and Megyn Kelly on Thursday, November 9, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 07:Megyn Kelly attends the 11th Annual Stand Up for Heroes at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on November 7, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, November 6, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Thursday, September 28, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, September 25, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Hoda Kotb and Megyn Kelly on Friday, September 22, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0742 — Pictured: Journalist Megyn Kelly arrives for an interview on September 21, 2017 — (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – SEPTEMBER 19:Megyn Kelly visits ‘Extra’ at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 19, 2017 in Universal City, California.(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 19: Megyn Kelly is seen on September 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 28: Douglas Brunt and journalist Megyn Kelly attend the 17th Annual USTA Foundation Opening Night Gala at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 28, 2017 in the Queens borough of New York City.(Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kellyon Monday, August 21, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Thursday, July 6, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 26:Journalist Megyn Kelly arrives to discuss Douglas Brunt’s new novel, ‘Trophy Son,’ during Douglas Brunt In Conversation with Megyn Kelly at Free Library of Philadelphia on June 26, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.(Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Monday, June 23, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 13:Megyn Kelly attends The 2017 Mirror Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street on June 13, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Friday, June 9, 2017 — (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
TODAY — Pictured: Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, Hoda Kotb, and Megyn Kelly on Monday, June 5, 2017 — (Photo by: Zach Pagano/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIAJUNE 2, 2017: NBC News Anchor Megyn Kelly waves at the plenary session at the 2017 St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2017) at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre. Mikhail Metzel/TASS Host Photo Agency (Photo by Mikhail Metzel\TASS via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (2nd R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) talk to journalist Megyn Kelly (R) on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) at the Constantine (Konstantinovsky) Palace, Russia, June 1, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – JUNE 2, 2017: NBC News anchor Megyn Kelly moderates the plenary session of the 2017 St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2017) held at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre. Mikhail Metzel/TASS Host Photo Agency (Photo by Mikhail Metzel\TASS via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 15:Megyn Kelly attends the 2017 NBCUniversal Upfront at Radio City Music Hall on May 15, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 01:Megyn Kelly attends ‘Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between’ Costume Institute Gala – Arrivals at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 25:Megyn Kelly attends the 2017 Time 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 25, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Fox News host Megyn Kelly greets the crowd before interviewing Republican presidential candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. (Travis Long/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS via Getty Images)
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE — Pictured: Megyn Kelly — (Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 24:Megyn Kelly (C), Darth Vader and Stormtroopers from the 501st Legion attend New York Philharmonic’s Spring Gala, A John Williams Celebration at David Geffen Hall on May 24, 2016 in New York City.(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for New York Philharmonic)
LOUISVILLE, KY – MAY 07:Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly attends the 142nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 07, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky.(Photo by Joey Foley/FilmMagic)
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0470 — Pictured: Journalist Megyn Kelly during an interview on May 12, 2016 — (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 02:Megyn Kelly attends the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’ Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City.(Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 30:Douglas Brunt and Megyn Kelly attend the 102nd White House Correspondents’ Association Dinneron April 30, 2016 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Paul Morigi/WireImage)
MEGYN KELLY presents: Megyn Kelly (R) and Donald Trump (L) during the FOX special ‘MEGYN KELLY presents’ airing Tuesday, May 17 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by Eric Liebowitz/FOX via Getty Images)
MEGYN KELLY presents: Megyn Kelly (R) interviews Michael Douglas (L) during the FOX Special MEGYN KELLY presents airing Tuesday, May 17 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by Eric Liebowitz/FOX via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 08: Journalist Megyn Kelly attends Variety’s Power Of Women: New York 2016 at Cipriani Midtown on April 8, 2016 in New York City.(Photo by Monica Schipper/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 06:Megyn Kelly attends the 7th Annual Women in the World Summit Opening Nightat David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 6, 2016 in New York City.(Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic)
Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly waits to begin the Republican presidential candidate debate at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. Candidates from both parties are crisscrossing Iowa, an agricultural state of about 3 million people in the U.S. heartland that will hold the first votes of the 2016 election on Feb. 1. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images 
DES MOINES, IA – JANUARY 28:Moderators Chris Wallace (L) pats on the shoulder of Megyn Kelly (2nd L) as they wait with Bret Baier (R) for the beginning of the Fox News – Google GOP Debate January 28, 2016 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Residents of Iowa will vote for the Republican nominee at the caucuses on February 1. Donald Trump, who is leading most polls in the state, decided not to participate in the debate.(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
GOOD MORNING AMERICA – Megyn Kelly appears on ABCs ‘Good Morning America,’ Friday, February 5, 2016. ‘Good Morning America’ airs MondayFriday (7-9am, ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images)MEGYN KELLY
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0411 — Pictured: (l-r) Journalist Megyn Kelly during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on February 4, 2016 — (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
GOOD MORNING AMERICA – Megyn Kelly appears on ABCs ‘Good Morning America,’ Friday, February 5, 2016. ‘Good Morning America’ airs MondayFriday (7-9am, ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images)MEGYN KELLY
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 13:News anchor Megyn Kelly speaks onstage during Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit – Day 2 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on October 13, 2015 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fortune/Time Inc)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 21:TV personality Megyn Kelly attends the 2015 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 21, 2015 in New York City.(Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 29: Megyn Kelly attends the 2014 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 29, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS — Episode 080 — Pictured: (l-r) Political commentator Megyn Kelly during an interview with host Seth Meyers on July 31, 2014 — (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 27:Megyn Kelly attends at the benefit concert for Army SPC Bryan Dilberain at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts on April 27, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.(Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 19:Kid Rock with host Megyn Kelly visits FOX’s ‘America Live’ at FOX Studios on June 19, 2013 in New York City.(Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – SEPTEMBER 22:Fox anchor Megyn Kelly prepares for the Fox News/Google GOP Debate at the Orange County Convention Center on September 22, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. The debate features the nine Republican candidates two days before the Florida straw poll. (Photo by Charles Ommanney/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 10:Megyn Kelly, host of America Live on set at Fox News studios in New York.Fox News Channel celebrated its 15th anniversary on the air on October 7th.Up Next
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While Curry insists that she told NBC execs that they had a Lauer “problem” after an employee complained to her, the network has denied that Curry reported anything.
Meanwhile, Nevils’ reportedly only came forward after sharing the story of her alleged encounter with Lauer with Vieira, who she worked for at the time. It was Vieira, Farrow’s book claims, who urged Nevils to file a complaint with NBC in November 2017, which is what resulted in Lauer’s firing.
Since Lauer’s firing, Kelly had been clear that she had “heard rumors” about Lauer’s alleged misconduct, and even welcomed Addie Zinone, a former “Today” production assistant who says she had an inappropriate affair with Lauer, onto her hour of the “Today” show to share her story.
Megyn Kelly breaking her silence on the rape allegation against Matt Lauer comes as it was revealed that she’ll be sitting down with Tucker Carlson on Fox News this week in her first televised interview in months.
28 PHOTOSMegyn Kelly's rise to the topSee GalleryMegyn Kelly's rise to the top
Megyn Kelly was born in Illinois in 1970. She was a cheerleader throughout high school and told Katie Couric last year that at the time, she didn’t have much ambition. Her father was a college professor and her mother was a nurse. Kelly’s father died of a heart attack when she was 15.
Source: The Washington Post
tv.gawker.com
Kelly became more focused on her academics when she started college. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in political science in 1992 and went on to earn a JD from Albany Law School in 1995.
Source: Elle Magazine
FNC
Soon after, Kelly joined prominent law firm Bickel & Brewer as an associate. Later, she spent nine years working for Jones Day. She credits her background in practicing law with helping her stand her ground when interviewing politicians and CEOs.
Source: Fox News
(Photo by Ben Hider/Getty Images)
Kelly entered the media sphere in 2003, when she started working as a general assignment reporter for an ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C. She covered multiple stories of national interest, including the 2004 presidential race.
Source: The Washington Post and Fox News
(LUKE FRAZZA/AFP/Getty Images)
Kelly joined Fox News one year later, in 2004. Former CNN President Jonathan Klein told The New York Times in 2015 that he regretted not hiring Kelly when she was starting out because she was "the one talent you’d want to have from somewhere else."
Source: The New York Times
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Kelly quickly established herself as a leading voice in political journalism while at Fox. She provided wall-to-wall coverage of critical events like the 2013 government shutdown, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Source: Fox News
She also gained recognition for her take-no-prisoners approach to interviewing politicians and high-level officials from both sides of the aisle.
(Fox News)
In one attention-grabbing interview, she asked Republican strategist Karl Rove an awkward question when during the 2012 election, when he was forecasting the numbers Republican candidate Mitt Romney needed to win the election: "Is this just math that you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better, or is this real?"
Source: Business Insider
Her tenure at the network was not without controversy, though. Kelly attracted sharp criticism in 2013 following a segment during which she told the "kids watching at home" that "Santa just is white" and that "Jesus was a white man, too."
Watch the clip on YouTube »
Kelly was roundly criticized for the segment’s historical inaccuracy — Santa Claus can be traced back to a real-life monk named St. Nicholas who was from Turkey — and for its racial undertones.
Source: The History Channel
(Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)
The segment was lampooned by late-night political satire shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
"Who are you actually talking to?" Daily Show host Jon Stewart asked after playing Kelly’s segment, during which she addressed "all you kids watching at home."
"Children who are sophisticated enough to be watching a news channel at 10 o’clock at night, yet innocent enough to still believe Santa Claus is real, yet racist enough to be freaked out if he isn’t white?" Stewart asked, drawing cheers from the audience.
(Comedy Central)
Critics have also accused Kelly, who came out as an Independent in 2015, of adopting a double standard in her reporting.
Source: Business Insider, Variety
(The Washington Post via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 10: Megyn Kelly, host of America Live on set at Fox News studios in New York. Fox News Channel celebrated its 15th anniversary on the air on October 7th.
Things took a turn during a Republican primary debate in 2015 when Kelly became part of the news cycle itself. After she questioned then-Republican candidate Donald Trump about his behavior towards women, Trump implied Kelly had been vindictive and said she had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her…wherever."
(Photo by Eric Liebowitz/FOX via Getty Images)
The remark, which many perceived as sexist, drew immediate and sustained criticism from observers, while Kelly garnered support from both sides of the political spectrum.
(Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images)
It wasn’t all rosy for the Fox News anchor, though. Kelly told late night host Jimmy Fallon a few months later that she could "no longer go on Twitter" because of the harassment she experienced from Trump and his fans.
Source: The Tonight Show
(Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
The incident, and Kelly’s pushback against it, made her something of a cultural icon during the election. She was even a featured guest during the 2016 "Women In The World" summit hosted by Katie Couric.
Watch Kelly’s interview at the summit »
(Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage)
"It is bizarre, it’s surreal," Kelly said of her experience with Trump and covering the campaign. She added that she didn’t enjoy seeing her own name in the headlines and that she looked forward to moving on from it.
(Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Kelly again came under the spotlight later that year, when she defended former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, who had accused Fox News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual misconduct.
(Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for TIME)
While other network powerhouses like Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly leaped to Ailes’ defense, Kelly backed Carlson and even encouraged another female Fox News anchor to speak out about the alleged harassment she’d faced from Ailes.
Source: New York Magazine
REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Kelly later wrote about her own experience with Ailes. At one point, he was "trying to grab me repeatedly and kiss me on the lips," she wrote in her book, "Settle For More."
Source: The Daily Beast
(Photo by Charles Ommanney/Getty Images)
After Carlson made her allegations against Ailes public, the network approached Kelly several times to defend the CEO, she wrote, but "there was no way I was going to lie to protect him."
Source: "Settle For More" via The Daily Beast
(Photo by Charles Ommanney/Getty Images)
Throughout the next few months, the network saw a string of high-profile departures that began with Ailes stepping down, host Greta van Susteren leaving to take a job at MSNBC, and finally, Kelly announcing her own departure to NBC.
(Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Her new, multi-year contract with the network gives Kelly several prominent roles, The New York Times reported earlier this year: she will host a daytime news and talk show, a Sunday night news program, and she will take point on covering prominent breaking stories and political events for the network.
Source: The New York Times
(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
Kelly had already stepped into her new position prior to debuting her daytime talk show on Monday. Earlier this year, she interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a segment that earned mixed reviews. Many critics felt she didn’t press Putin hard enough on his record on human rights and Russia’s election interference.
(Photo by Alexei Druzhinin\TASS via Getty Images)
She also interviewed Alex Jones, an alt-right icon, strong supporter of Donald Trump, and the founder of far-right website InfoWars.
Source: NBC News
REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
On Monday, she told her new studio audience that she was "kind of done with politics."
(Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
However, Kelly wore a shirt that had a "pussy bow," a feature that gained traction after the infamous Access Hollywood tape, during which Trump demeaned women and said he could "grab ’em by the p—y," leaked last year. So whether she really plans to stay away from the political fray remains to be seen.
(Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
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