Two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall personifies the saying, “You can never lose when you bet on yourself.”
Hall’s 30-plus years in journalism have been marked by significant achievements, including a three-year stint on NBC’s Today, six seasons of Investigation Discovery’s Deadline: Crime With Tamron Hall and a top-rated talk show that was recently renewed for its seventh season.
“The most surprising learning curve came from the fact that the show is really a mom-and-pop shop,” Hall said of her self-titled talk show, Tamron Hall, where she serves as the executive producer.
Hall’s many roles now include everything from approving budgets and reviewing graphics to adding more flowers to the stage.
“When it’s a talk show, it’s your business,” she told Blavity in a previous interview.
Since the launch of her talk show in September 2019, Hall has intentionally provided inspirational, entertaining, thought-provoking content and a star-studded list of guests, all things she doesn’t take for granted.
“The reality is, I have fought for every season of this show,” Hall said when asked about her continued success.
Her answer was not based on ratings or show guests, but on the fact that the veteran journalist knows the importance of sticking up for herself and her audience.
Hall said she received life-changing advice from “a phenomenal anchor” in Chicago.
“‘Either they’re gonna quit you, or you’re gonna quit them. That’s how it works,'” Hall recalled of the wise words.
Shortly later, she would do just that, refusing an offer she knew was intended for her to turn down and stepping out on faith.
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“I felt it coming. I never felt really part of that machine,” Hall admitted.
She continued, “I felt I had found a way to succeed through the audience. It wasn’t the machine that lifted me up. Honestly, it was the public, and it was what my parents taught me about hard work and sticking up for yourself. So, when I decided to leave, I turned down an offer they wanted me to refuse — if you had wanted me to accept it, you would have made it representative of my value versus diminishing of my value.”
Despite her experience and resume, Hall experienced a lot of no’s and timid responses.
“Those were frightening times. I didn’t have a backup plan; I wasn’t married then, and my parents were just regular parents. There were no backup finances for me. It was me, and that was terrifying,” she said.
After two years of finding a home for her talk show, Disney/ABC signed Hall to a deal that she claimed made it all make “sense.”
“I needed that painful moment, or I would have probably sat there in complacency,” she said.
Her leap of faith has earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Informative Talk Show in 2020 and 2022.
Hall’s personable and nurturing demeanor with her guests gives a peek into her approach to motherhood. At 48, she gave birth to her son, Moses, and decided to stay out of the public eye.
“I kept it private rather than a secret because there was no shame. For me, it was about protecting my mind and my body. This body was a vessel at 48 years old to bring in who I think is the coolest dude,” she said lovingly of her now 5-year-old son.
Hall admitted that, as a “late-to-the-party mom,” she knew people would have much to say, but she didn’t care.
“I cared more about protecting my peace. It’s great to hear from folks you love, but it’s also great to protect your peace and your vision,” Hall said.
Hall’s mommy duties have also crossed over into her world as an author.
The adult fiction writer is venturing into children’s literature. Her upcoming picture book, Harlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Child, will be released on March 25.
Inspired by her son, the fun book is a “celebration of curiosity,” aiming to encourage exploration and confidence in young readers as they navigate their communities.
Hall’s first effort as an author was the 2021 thriller As the Wicked Watch, which introduced readers to Jordan Manning, a Chicago TV reporter who unravels the mysterious murders of two young Black women. Manning returned as the protagonist for Hall’s March 2024 release, Watch Where They Hide.
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As of 2025, Hall is quickly approaching the milestone of 1,000 episodes and is Disney’s second longest-running syndicated talk show. She has intentionally created a space with something for everyone and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. This season, viewers can look forward to star-studded exclusive interviews with everyone from Sheryl Lee Ralph to Ashanti and getting to know up-and-coming fashion content creator Nicky Campbell.
Although Hall is riding high with astronomical ratings, top-tier guests, and her devoted “Tam Fam” fanbase, she never takes the moments of uncertainty, being ignored or underestimated for granted.
“Those were the things I wasn’t prepared for, but I’m happy that God and the universe have prepared me for them. I’m always going to speak up for Black female journalists. I know how hard it is,” Hall said before adding, “I look back on so many of the experiences, and I’m just like, ‘This is my life.’ I can’t believe this is my life.”
