MSNBC’s ‘The Weekend: Primetime’ Taps Antonia Hylton and Elise Jordan as Co-Hosts | Exclusive

MSNBC has chosen veteran political commentators Antonia Hylton and Elise Jordan to fill the two remaining co-host seats on its upcoming “The Weekend: Primetime,” TheWrap can exclusively reveal.

The pair’s selection came as new MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler is continuing to revamp the cable channel’s lineup after being named boss in February.

Hylton and Jordan will join longtime MSNBC anchor Ayman Mohyeldin and Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell as the four co-hosts of the show, which is launching in May. “The Weekend: Primetime” will air from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET on Saturdays and Sundays and be broadcast from New York City.

Hylton and Jordan are both already familiar faces to MSNBC fans, as they frequently appear on shows like “Morning Joe.”

Jordan, who is currently an MSNBC and NBC News political analyst, worked for several years in press and communications roles across the White House and State Department during the George W. Bush administration. The Yale graduate was also a comms and policy advisor for Sen. Rand Paul’s 2016 presidential campaign, and her work has appeared in outlets like The Atlantic, Time and Vanity Fair.

Hylton is an NBC News and MSNBC correspondent who has reported on Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign and protests at several college campuses, among other national stories. Before joining the NBC family, the Harvard alum was a correspondent and producer for Vice News Tonight on HBO. Hylton has won an Edward R. Murrow Award for her work as a co-host of the “Grapevine” podcast and is the author of “Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum,” a New York Times best-seller.

“At this critical moment in our media and politics, it’s an honor to join this show and be at the table, shaping the conversation and asking the important and hard questions,” Hylton said in a statement.

Jordan echoed Hylton’s comment, saying, “This is an inflection point in our country’s history, and MSNBC viewers are looking for well-rounded news, critical context and fresh ideas. I couldn’t be more excited to join this well-respected group of journalists and co-hosts as we cover the issues impacting viewers’ daily lives.”

In a statement to TheWrap, Kutler said both hires have “built stellar reputations and will bring their invaluable perspectives and experiences to MSNBC viewers.”

Hylton and Jordan’s addition to “The Weekend” comes as the current morning version of the show — hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele and Alicia Menendez — is being moved to primetime during the week, starting later this month. Jonathan Capehart, WHCA President Eugene Daniels and MSNBC Washington correspondent Jackie Alemany will also host a morning version of “The Weekend” starting in May.

The launch of the new primetime version of “The Weekend” comes as Kutler has been rearranging MSNBC’s lineup. MSNBC announced several major changes in late February, including giving former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki a bigger role in primetime. Some of Kutler’s other recent moves, like jettisoning longtime MSNBC personality Joy Reid from her show, have grabbed headlines — and caught the attention of President Trump.

An MSNBC source familiar with the decision to select Hylton and Jordan said the hirings — as well as other recent moves — signal to viewers that Kutler and MSNBC are doubling-down on personalities that are well-liked and respected in Democratic and left-leaning circles. In other words, MSNBC is not changing its flavor.

MSNBC, as well as CNN, was rocked by a viewership exodus following the 2024 election. But MSNBC has been enjoying a strong ratings run since President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, with its average primetime viewership increasing from 539,000 viewers in December to 1.13 million viewers in February — an increase of 109%.

While Fox News has continued to lap its competition when it comes to primetime ratings, Kutler’s changes to MSNBC’s lineup, coupled with viewers being interested in what President Trump is up to, have helped the channel recoup much of the momentum that was lost at the end of last year. Now, MSNBC and Kutler are betting that the expansion of its “Weekend” franchise will give viewers another reason to tune in.

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