Kelly Rowland abruptly left the Today show last Thursday, April 13, for an episode that has generated a lot of talk and conjecture. However, contrary to what was first reported, her dressing room was not the cause.
Rather, a recent article from TheWrap claims that people with knowledge of the matter have disclosed that Rowland was startled by host Savannah Guthrie’s incessant questions regarding Beyoncé, which caused her to abruptly leave the show.
The episode caused host Hoda Kotb to hustle to find a last-minute co-anchor, which Rita Ora, who was previously scheduled as a guest, filled. At first, fans and media outlets blamed Rowland’s departure on her dissatisfaction with the conditions in her dressing area. Insiders with knowledge of the situation, however, have illuminated the true cause of Rowland’s sudden exit.
TheWrap was informed by a person with knowledge of the matter that “Kelly was offended that Savannah repeatedly and aggressively asked her about Beyoncé,” highlighting the inaccurate reporting of the incident in the first reports.
The source emphasized that Rowland, a regular guest on Today, and her staff are familiar with the set-up of the dressing rooms for the show, indicating that a lack of contentment with the amenities was unlikely to be the problem. Instead, Rowland and her team felt humiliated and offended by Guthrie’s probing questions about Beyoncé.