'Today' Slots Billy Bush For 9AM Hour

Billy Bush

Billy Bush has been tapped to join NBC's morning news franchise, the Today show. The announcement came Tuesday morning from Noah Oppenheim, NBC News' svp and executive in charge of Today. At long last, the worst-kept secret in TV news is official.

Bush, who is in the process of exiting Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live, will play an integral role in the show's 9 a.m. hour. Veteran Today anchor Natalie Morales, who was among the co-hosts of that hour along with Tamron Hall, Al Roker and Willie Geist, has already been tapped as host of the NBCUniversal infotainment properties. That announcement came May 4 in an internal memo from Oppenheim. Morales will continue to appear across the Today franchise but will be based in L.A. as the show's West Coast correspondent.

And Geist last month began hosting a revamped Sunday version of Today while still appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 9 a.m. hour of Today is seen as the weakest link in the four-hour morning franchise. The flagship 7-9 a.m. block — co-anchored by Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer — is beating ABC's Good Morning America this season in the critical 25-54 demographic, a source of renewed pride for NBC's news division after the network's morning show lagged behind GMA since 2012. The ABC morning show still bests Today among total viewers. And the 10 a.m. hour co-hosted by Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford also continues to perform well.