ESPN’s Molly Qerim will be on hiatus from “First Take” for the next little bit, she announced in an Instagram post.
Before the weekend commenced, Molly Qerim announced that she’s taking a vacation with her family and will return “in a few weeks.” Qerim is headed to an undisclosed region for the getaway, noting that she’s working on her tan lines.
It’s not uncommon for popular ESPN talents to take an unexplained hiatus, but no need to worry about Qerim. The 41-year-old is enjoying a short getaway before the sports season gets busy again in the fall.
Qerim began her first stint at ESPN in 2006 and worked there until 2010. She had stops at CBS and NFL Network before returning to the Worldwide Leader in Sports in 2015, taking over as the full-time host for “First Take” with Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless.
Bayless left ESPN in 2016 to host “Undisputed” on Fox Sports 1, teaming up with Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe. The show’s ratings tanked after Sharpe left the network in 2023, and Bayless left FS1 last August.
Qerim and Smith continue to run “First Take” together, with various guests and analysts appearing on the program. Earlier this year, Smith signed a multi-year extension with ESPN worth over $100 million.
Molly Qerim & Stephen A. Smith Will Get Busy Again In The Fall
We’re in the “dog days” of summer sports, with the NFL, MLB and NBA all on hiatus until the fall. The WNBA and Major League Baseball are getting the attention in the U.S. right now, but sports media in the U.S. will get even busier when the NFL returns in September, and when the NHL and NBA begin their 2025-26 seasons in October.
