Moving Into The Big Chair: Ann Curry Debuts As ‘Today’ Show Co-Anchor

After 14 years as the understudy, Ann Curry is in the big chair now at NBC’s “Today” show.

She had her first day Thursday as co-anchor with Matt Lauer on television’s top-rated morning show. Her predecessor, Meredith Vieira, had an on-air going-away party Wednesday.

Curry has been on the show since 1997 as the regular newsreader, and has filled in as co-host dozens of times.

She referred to that in her opening, saying, “I’m Ann Curry, in for I guess nobody this morning — me, myself and I. It’s nice to be able to say that, isn’t it?”

Lauer welcomed her, saying she had already been on the show so long that “it’s a little bit like a member of the family moving to a new seat at the table.”