“After listening to my heart and my gut, two things that have served me pretty well in the past, I have decided I’ll be leaving Today at the end of May,” Katie Couric told Today viewers at 7:30am.

She said the decision was difficult for two reasons: her relationships with the viewers and her colleagues at NBC.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all the support you all have given me,” she told viewers.

She also addressed Matt Lauer directly, saying “I could not have asked for a more talented partner or a better friend… I think I’m going to miss him most of all.”

“Sometimes I think change is good thing,” Couric said a moment later. “Although it can be terrifying to get out of your comfort zone, it’s also very exciting to start a new chapter in your life.”