Fans of ESPN’s First Take can finally rest easy—Molly Qerim, the beloved host, is set to return to her post next Monday after a more than week-long absence from the show. According to a source, Qerim will be back in the studio, although it remains unclear whether her time away was due to a planned vacation or personal matters.
Qerim’s sudden absence from First Take had viewers speculating across social media platforms. Many fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their concern and ask for updates. One user tweeted, “Where is @MollyQerim bruh?” tagging both Qerim and First Take mainstay Stephen A. Smith. Another fan asked more directly, “@MollyQerim Where are you? Are you ok?” showing the level of worry among her loyal followers. Still, others were adamant they wouldn’t tune in without her presence on the show, with one fan stating, “I’m not watching @FirstTake without @MollyQerim what’s really going on here.”
Qerim’s social media presence has also been noticeably quiet during her time away, with her last posts on both X and Instagram more than three weeks old. The silence only fueled the curiosity of viewers according to the NY Post, many of whom have come to enjoy her regular updates and insights both on and off the screen.
Molly Qerim, 40, has been with ESPN since 2008 and took over as host of First Take in 2015, replacing Cari Champion. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Qerim quickly became a fan favorite, not just for her smooth hosting abilities but for her strong sports opinions and playful yet firm exchanges with the show’s regulars, particularly Stephen A. Smith.
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Earlier this year, Qerim stirred up controversy when she commented on the performance of Iowa’s star player Caitlin Clark after UConn was knocked out of the NCAA Final Four. Qerim remarked, “All I gotta say is she’s lucky this UConn team isn’t healthy, and that’s a true statement.” She pointed out that if UConn’s star player Paige Bueckers hadn’t missed two seasons due to injury, Clark’s rise to stardom might not have garnered the same attention. “If Paige Bueckers didn’t basically miss two seasons, I don’t know if we’d be talking about Caitlin Clark the way we are right now,” she added during an April episode of First Take.
Qerim is also known for her fiery exchanges with the show’s panelists. Last year, after a fan poll favored Stephen A. Smith over recurring guest Chris “Mad Dog” Russo during one of the debates, Qerim didn’t hold back in expressing her frustration, calling the results “BS.” She argued that the poll results were skewed in Smith’s favor because of his long-standing presence on the show. “Stephen A. has been doing this show for a million years, and they’re just voting for him,” she quipped.
Smith, however, was unfazed by Qerim’s remarks. He playfully insisted, “We’re going to stop doing this poll because every time I win, you just say people are biased. I happen to be right! You’re gonna give me credit for that!”
Despite her absence and the curiosity it sparked, Molly Qerim’s return to First Take will be a welcome sight for fans who have come to appreciate her dynamic presence on the show.
With her return looming, viewers can expect more of the engaging debates, sports insights, and lively exchanges that have made her a staple on ESPN’s flagship program.
