Shae Cornette has been announced as the new host of ESPN talk show “First Take.” She is a newer on-air figure at ESPN and she shared her reaction to the news via social media.
“Thank you for all the support… excited for this next chapter!” Cornette wrote in a post on X in response to the ESPN announcement.
Thank you for all the support… excited for this next chapter! https://t.co/FHMAMWR00X
— Shae Cornette (@shaepeppler) October 16, 2025
Cornette joined ESPN in 2020 and has served as an anchor on “SportsCenter.” Prior to that, she was a reporter in the Chicago area and served as a TV reporter for the Bears.
“I feel ready to step into this role and know I can add to the already successful brand that ‘First Take’ is,” Cornette said in a statement to ESPN. “From my days in radio to hosting ‘SportsCenter’ and now ‘First Take,; my journey at ESPN has been one of growth, challenge, and opportunity. First Take’s energy, perspective and passion represents everything I love about sports, and I’m excited to bring more of that to the debate desk every weekday morning.”
ESPN had been searching for a replacement for Molly Qerim ever since she left the network last month. They tried out some different people on the show and ended up going with someone in-house to fill the position.
Cornette is married to former Notre Dame basketball player Jordan Cornette, who played for the Fighting Irish from 2001-2005.
