ESPN confirmed on Tuesday that Molly Qerim will depart the network, and her First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith described the exit as "uncomfortable" while declining to provide details on the reasons behind it.

Reports that Qerim planned to leave were first published Monday evening and were confirmed by ESPN the following day. First Take aired without Qerim on Tuesday after the network announced the split; Smith addressed the absence on air and in subsequent comments.

On Tuesday Smith, who has co-hosted the program with Qerim for roughly a decade, called the development a shock and said he was "quite sad about it." He described Qerim as "a friend" and "a co-worker" and said the two had relied on one another over the years. "To say that I’m quite sad about it is an understatement," he said. "Molly is a friend. Molly is a co-worker. Molly is somebody that I’ve leaned on on many occasions in the past, as she has done when it comes to me. We’ve been partners on the show for the last 10 years, and a lot of times some of these things happen, and it’s just uncomfortable to see."

Smith said he did not know — and would not disclose — the full details of Qerim’s decision. "The details, quite frankly, are none of y’all’s business. It’s not as if I know all the details. It was a contract negotiation that was going on. ESPN certainly did not want to lose her. But in the end, she made her decision to walk away from the show effective immediately," he said. He added that while he had his own ideas about what had occurred, he would not share them and that "the story is for her to tell." He concluded by saying "the love is always here" between them.

ESPN, Qerim and Smith have not provided additional specifics about the reasons for the departure. The report of Qerim’s exit characterized it as an end-of-2025 departure, but timelines remain unclear; Smith said she had left "effective immediately." Qerim, 41, posted a brief message on social media saying "Stay tuned," but offered no further information.

There has been public speculation about Qerim’s next steps, including unconfirmed reports that she could join another network, but no move has been announced and no source corroborated those reports as of Tuesday. ESPN did not provide a timeline for any final appearance or a successor on First Take.

First Take is one of ESPN’s marquee debate programs, and Qerim served as the show’s moderator and a regular on-air presence for about a decade. Smith said the program would continue without her. Both the network and Qerim have declined to elaborate on contractual or personnel matters, leaving the specifics of the departure private.

Further developments may be announced by ESPN or Qerim; until then, the network and the host have not publicly explained the circumstances that led to the split.