If NBC Cancels 'Days of our Lives' at Some Point, It Likely Will Have Nothing to do with Megyn Kelly

Megyn Kelly may be headed to NBC's 9 a.m. weekday timeslot instead of
afternoons, where a new show might be considered as a replacement for
Days of our Lives.

FOX News host Megyn Kelly officially signed on with NBC last week, wrapping her popular 9 p.m. ET program on Friday. Kelly will be hosting daily daytime show and a Sunday newsmagazine program at NBC, and the announcement kicked off much speculation that the weekday show she will be leading at her new network might replace iconic soap opera Days of our Lives. Days is officially renewed through this September, but is likely to be picked up for another season, until September 2018. Unless, of course, NBC finds a surefire replacement series, but those are very hard to come by, including Kelly's, especially with an audience as loyal as soap viewers.

People Magazine reported last week that a source connected to Days revealed that several cast members were told that this upcoming year of the series will likely be its last. The source said executives at the show have given some key staffers indication that their days are numbered.

“Basically, we’ve heard that there won’t be a Days in 2018,” said the source associated with the show, which recently celebrated its 51st anniversary.

Despite that worrison report, sources inside and outside NBC are now telling The Hollywood Reporter that Kelly may be headed for mornings instead of afternoons, with the network possibly giving Kelly the troubled 9 a.m. hour of Today. The move could solve the network's ratings woes without the hassle of launching a daytime talk show that would likely have an uphill climb when making its sales pitch to affiliates.

With Kelly, NBC News execs have the opportunity to rebrand the 9 a.m. hour of Today to fit her strengths as a reporter and interviewer and also achieve some flow between the more news-focused flagship block.

"It's another high-end talent in your most profitable block," says one industry observer. "If you keep her in her lane, can she do her kind of show at 9 a.m. versus 9 p.m.? I'd buy that."

Regardless of what happens with Kelly, Days fans are still worried about the show's future after the next renewal. Ratings will likely need to pick up significantly to justify production beyond September 2018, at least on NBC. It's hard to imagine the show's production company, Sony Pictures Television, would not pursue alternative outlets before letting the beloved daytime drama sign off forever.