Tonya Mosley Named New Cohost of NPR’s ‘Fresh Air’

For the first time in its more-than four decades on air, popular Philadelphia-based NPR talk show Fresh Air with Terry Gross is adding a cohost.

Tonya Mosley, a correspondent and former host of the Boston-based news radio show Here & Now, has been named cohost of WHYY’s Fresh Air, the station announced Wednesday. She will begin with the revered public radio program on May 1, a spokesperson said.

Tonya Mosley

Mosley — who is also the creator and host of the award-winning Truth Be Told podcast, which explores Black liberation through multiple lenses — has been a regular contributing interviewer on Fresh Air since 2021, speaking with actors Brooke Shields, Halle Berry, Michelle Yeoh, comedian Robin Thede, among others.

Meanwhile, Gross, a fixture of the show since 1975, is not going anywhere and will remain on as Fresh Air’s executive producer and host, said WHYY CEO and President Bill Marrazzo.

“Fresh Air listeners will be pleased to learn that Terry Gross’ role remains unchanged,” Marazzo said in a statement. “At the same time, we are adding another top-notch interviewer and host who brings her own distinctive voice and expertise to the program.”

In a statement, Gross said she is “thrilled,” and that Mosley’s “wide range of knowledge and experience, her warm inviting presence, and her ability to make a deep connection with guests, make her a perfect fit for our show.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Mosley, a Detroit native, began her career as a television anchor, producer and correspondent, working in markets across the country, including Boston, Detroit, Louisville, Kentucky, and Seattle. Before joining Here & Now, Mosley served as a host and the Silicon Valley bureau chief for the NPR-affiliate KQED in San Francisco. She has also worked as a senior education reporter and host for WBUR, and television correspondent for Al Jazeera America.