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Longtime ESPN host Cari Champion announces surprise departure from network

Cari Champion is leaving ESPN.

The longtime network host announced the news on Twitter Thursday with no explanation as to why or what her plans are moving forward.

From ‘First Take’ to ‘SportsCenter’

Champion joined ESPN in 2012 as the host of argument show “First Take,” where she moderated Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. She moved on to replace Michelle Beadle on the now-canceled “SportsNation.”

Cari Champion announced on Thursday that she's ending her seven-year tenure with ESPN. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Cari Champion announced on Thursday that she's ending her seven-year tenure with ESPN. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

She has hosted the network’s flagship highlight show “SportsCenter” since 2015, most recently working on the noon ET broadcast alongside David Lloyd.

The Big Lead reports that hosts Matt Barrie and Elle Duncan will take over the noon ET time slot and that Lloyd will remain with the network.

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