ESPN’s ‘First Take’ Picks Shae Cornette To Succeed Molly Qerim As Host

ESPN has chosen SportsCenter anchor Shae Cornette to take over as host of its flagship daytime talk show First Take.

Molly Qerim, who hosted of the show headlined by Stephen A. Smith for 10 years, abruptly resigned in mid-September. A rotating series of fill-ins, including Cornette, sat in the host chair in recent weeks.

Cornette will officially begin as host on November 3.

The role of host on First Take is not for the faint of heart. Qerim won a lot of respect, including from ESPN staffers, with her knack for calmly reining in Smith and the voluble personalities debating him. The reliable block of daytime programming, as well as frequent social media buzz generated by the show, is a large part of why ESPN agreed to sign Smith to a 5-year contract worth a reported $100 million earlier this year.

Cornette arrived at ESPN in 2020 after making her name as a Chicago sports TV personality.

“Shae is meticulous in her preparation, connects naturally with our show’s high-profile personalities, and has a unique ability to keep lively debate engaging and on point,” said David Roberts, EVP, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment at ESPN. He went on to praise Cornette’s “professionalism, presence, and energy.”

Smith, who is a featured commentator and an executive producer of First Take, said the host role is “no easy assignment. It requires confidence, toughness, and real sports insight – and Shae brings all of that and more.”

Cornette said the daily show’s “energy, perspective and passion represents everything I love about sports.”