Following the surprising departure of Molly Qerim last month, ESPN has found its replacement, as Shae Cornette will serve as the new host of the popular, daily debate show First Take.
Per Michael McCarthy and Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, ESPN confirmed the move Thursday.
Cornette was reportedly chosen after several ESPN personalities and anchors auditioned for the coveted role alongside Stephen A. Smith.
ESPN hired Cornette in 2020 after she enjoyed success in sports media at both the local and national levels.
The Indiana University alum served as a Chicago Bears reporter on Fox 32, hosting a weekly show called Bears Unleashed.
Cornette also hosted The Chicago Huddle on ABC 7, had a stint with Big Ten Network and served as a college football and college basketball sideline reporter for Stadium and Facebook, according to ESPN Press Room.
With ESPN, she first made her mark on ESPN Radio in 2020, hosting the NFL-centric GameDay show every Sunday.
Cornette’s co-host was her husband, Jordan Cornette, making them the first married couple to host a national ESPN radio show, per Richard Deitsch of The Athletic.
Jordan Cornette played four seasons of college basketball at Notre Dame from 2001 to 2005, and he is the program’s all-time leader in career blocks with 201.
Now, Jordan works for NBC Sports, and he will work as a sideline reporter for NBA games on NBC and Peacock during the upcoming 2025-26 season.
As for Shae, she most recently served as a host on SportsCenter and other ESPN television and radio shows before getting her big break on First Take.
First Take has been an ESPN staple since 2007, launching many personalities into superstardom over the years, including Smith, Qerim, Skip Bayless and Max Kellerman, and Cornette is the latest beneficiary.