Chuck Todd, the former host of “Meet the Press,” is departing NBC News, as he informed his colleagues in a memo on Friday.The decision comes as Todd seeks new opportunities outside the NBCUniversal family, Variety reported.In recent weeks, Todd has reportedly been in discussions with other news organizations and potential employers. His contract with NBC News, which was set to expire after the 2024 election, had been expected to come to an end around that time.“There’s never a perfect time to leave a place that’s been a professional home for so long, but I’m pretty excited about a few new projects that are on the cusp of going from ‘pie in the sky’ to ‘near reality,’ Todd told NBC News staffers in a memo Friday, per Variety. “So I’m grateful for the chance to get a jump start on my next chapter during this important moment,”

He said his “Chuck Toddcast” podcast would be “coming with me,” while also urging colleagues to “stay tuned for an announcement about its new home soon.”Todd plans “to continue to share my reporting and unique perspective of covering politics with data and history as important baselines in understanding where we were, where we are and where we’re going,” he said in the memo.NBCUniversal management has also responded to the host’s impending departure.We’re grateful for Chuck’s many contributions to our political coverage during his nearly two-decade career at NBC News and for his deep commitment to Meet the Press and its enduring legacy,” NBC News said in a statement. “We wish him all the best in his next endeavors.”He said his “Chuck Toddcast” podcast would be “coming with me,” while also urging colleagues to “stay tuned for an announcement about its new home soon.