Megyn Kelly Net Worth: Ex-Anchor Had A Jaw-Dropping Salary Before Getting Fired

Megyn Kelly has a net worth of $45 million. She is no longer with NBC, but the network still pays the remaining amount of her massive contract.

Kelly signed a three-year, $69 million contract with NBC in 2017. Halfway through the deal, the then-anchor of "Megyn Kelly Today" was embroiled in controversy after saying that blackface was acceptable in the context of Halloween costumes. Calls for her resignation grew, leading to her morning show getting canceled and her representatives negotiating the terms of her exit with NBC, CNN reported.

Experts thought she would forfeit the rest of the terms of her deal, but it seemed she was ready for a lengthy legal battle. In the end, it was reported that her severance package was around $30 million.

Kelly was the highest-paid anchor at NBC with around $23 million in annual salary, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The top spot once belonged to Matt Lauer, commanding a salary that was estimated to be as high as $25 million, Variety reported.

Lauer was ousted from NBC's morning show "Today" in 2017 over allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. NBC News chairman Andy Lack said that although it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer for his behavior since he became an anchor of the show in 1997, it is believed that the allegation made by an unidentified female colleague was not an isolated incident.

Prior to joining NBC, Kelly was part of Fox News, where she served as talk show host from 2004 to 2017. The Champaign, Illinois native earned a reputation at Fox News for her combative style, which made her one of the most sought-after news anchors in 2017.

Kelly has become known for her feisty and highly controversial interviews, including ones she had with Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. She has insisted that her political affiliation is independent and told Variety in 2015 that she has voted for both Republican and Democratic bets.

At her peak, Kelly not only topped the highest-paid TV anchors list, but she also made Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.

Last year, Kelly launched an independent media company called Devil May Care Media, which backs podcasts and other shows built around the latest news, current events, legal and cultural issues. She also debuted a new podcast, “The Megyn Kelly Show,” in September 2020.

Another thing she can pursue post-TV is writing books. Kelly released her autobiography in 2016 titled “Settle for More.” She signed a book deal with HarperCollins Publishers worth at least $10 million.

Before entering the world of television, Kelly was already a seasoned lawyer. She graduated from Albany Law School in 1995. She then worked for prestigious international law firm Jones Day for almost a decade.

On the personal side, the TV personality was previously married to Daniel Kendall from 2001 to 2006. Kelly then married Douglas Brunt in 2008. They share three children together: Edward, 11, Yardley, 9, and Thatcher, 7.