NBC News’ Peter Alexander Reportedly Didn’t Choose to Leave Network: ‘It’s a ‘Mean Girls’ Atmosphere’

Peter Alexander allegedly didn’t leave NBC News on his own accord.

According to the Sunday, March 29, edition of Rob Shuter‘s Naughty But Nice Substack, the 49-year-old Weekend Today coanchor’s reason for leaving — to spend more time with his family — isn’t the full story.

“NBC made it clear they were not renewing his contract,” one insider claimed. “This wasn’t his decision.”

A second insider insisted, “Peter knew a long time ago he wasn’t getting Nightly News or a weekday Today cohost job,” but that “he made peace with it.”

“He was happy on weekends,” a third insider noted “He liked the role, the schedule, the life. There was even talk about moving his family to New York.”

Since joining NBC News in 2004, the journalist reportedly “gave everything” to the network, “but in the end, he didn’t feel valued,” according to a fourth insider.

Additional sources told Shuter that the environment at NBC News had changed, leading to his departure.

“Peter is old school — a gentleman,” the third insider shared, “And that’s not the culture at Today anymore.”

“It’s cliquey, it’s political, and it can be mean,” a fifth insider alleged. “Peter never fit into that new world.”

The fifth insider added, “It’s a ‘mean girls’ atmosphere. And Peter just isn’t wired that way.”

Meanwhile, a sixth insider claimed that “NBC is moving younger, more tabloid, more personality-driven, more diverse,” noting, “Peter isn’t what they’re looking for anymore.”

On March 28, Alexander announced he was leaving NBC News, citing family as the reason, since he and his wife, Alison Starling, and their two daughters, Ava, 12, and Emma, 10, reside in Washington, D.C., while the show films in NYC.

“I’ve been away from home more than 80 nights in the last seven months. More than 200 Friday nights away from my family in the last seven years,” Alexander said. “So, in this limited window before my daughters lose interest in hanging out with me, it’s already happened quickly. I’m eager to carve out a better balance between my personal and professional lives and to challenge myself with something new. I’m excited.”

The TV personality has already found a new gig, as The Hollywood Reporter revealed on Monday, March 30, that MS Now president Rebecca Kutler told staff that Alexander was joining the network as chief national reporter, anchoring the 11 a.m. hour.