Earlier this week, Katie Couric announced that she’s departing her post at CBS News; in what can only be considered a coincidence, Merideth Vieira (who replaced Couric on NBC’s “Today” show in 2006), has made her own plans to leave her anchor position as well. While Vieira will continue her hosting duties for “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” it’s understood that she’s leaving her early morning gig for personal reasons including the desire to spend more time with her husband, Richard Cohen, during his battle with multiple sclerosis. Her decision is wholly understandable, for “Millionaire” probably tapes several episodes in a single afternon and doesn’t require nearly as much of a time committment as “Today,” in which the anchor schedule probably demands a regular 4:00AM wake-up call. Vieira will be quite fittingly replaced by Ann Curry, who has been waiting in the wings since the early 1990s for her turn in the spotlight:

Meredith Vieira will exit NBC’s Today show in June, nearly three months before the end of her contract, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

Today newsreader Ann Curry will be promoted to co-host, and correspondent Natalie Morales will take Curry’s place as newsreader.

An official announcement could come as early as next week.

Vieira took the seat next to co-host Matt Lauer in 2006, replacing Katie Couric. Since then, Today has extended its run as the top-rated morning news program to more than 800 weeks. The show is critically important to NBC News’ bottom line, pulling in half a billion dollars in ad revenue last year for the weekday morning hours alone.

By elevating Curry and Morales, Today executives have the benefit of personalities who are familiar to viewers at a time of pronounced tumult in television news in general.

Vieira has been mulling an exit from Today for some time but came to a decision this week, according to sources. As recently as two weeks ago, Today executive producer Jim Bell told The Hollywood Reporter that he was hopeful she would stay. The Today team is in London to cover the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

[From Hollywood Reporter]

While I always thought Vieira was a good fit as a “Today” anchor (and preferable to Couric), Ann Curry will probably slide right into regular anchor duties with no problem at all. Whenever she’s merely pinch hitting for an absent anchor, Curry always exudes a wonderful warmth and empathy for all stories while speaking to the camera. As a side note, the below photos show Vieira and Curry (in 2008) during and after an onstage “kiss” before Coldplay performed in Rockefeller Plaza. Who knew that Coldplay could inspire faux lesbianism?

Photos courtesy of WENN and Fame Pictures