Molly Qerim’s First Take return date confirmed by ESPN after major broadcasting change saw show bumped off schedule

ESPN has confirmed First Take host Molly Qerim will return from her on-air break this week.

The sportscaster has been absent since late June with Christine Williamson taking her seat on the set.

Instagram/mollyqerim

Instagram/mollyqerim

But Qerim , 40, will be back on Thursday, July 11, per ESPN’s associate director of communications John R. Manzo .

That same day, First Take will return from a three-day hiatus.

The show was bumped off the schedule because of the network’s coverage of Wimbledon .

It had already been moved from its usual slot on ESPN, airing on ESPN2 instead in the first week of the major tennis tournament.

Wimbledon will end on Sunday, July 14.

First Take’s schedule should return to normal the following morning.

The popular debate show typically airs Monday through Friday at 10 am ET.

It remains to be seen whether Stephen A. Smith will be back as well, though.

Smith, 56, has been on vacation alongside co-star Shannon Sharpe since last week.

And their colleague, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, suggested he could be away for months .

“We are not gonna see you know who until the NBA tips off in October,” Russo said during his cold open on Wednesday, July 3.

“So Draymond Green, get used to it.

“On this show for the next three months, it’s yours truly.

Mad Dog also joked he would also fill in for Stephen A. as the executive producer of First Take.

Molly Qerim's life in the spotlight

Molly Qerim has risen through the ranks to become one of the biggest stars at ESPN.

The popular sports host began her media career in 2006 with ESPN and spent four years with the network.

She then covered college basketball and football for CBS Sports Network in New York.

Qerim balanced that with hosting duties for NFL Network in Los Angeles – fronting NFLAM and NFL Fantasy Live.

The host returned to ESPN in 2015 and immediately took the role of First Take anchor.

And Qerim has been an ever-present, popular host of the daily sports debate show ever since.

Smith is in the middle of contract negotiation talks with ESPN.

The network is said to have offered the outspoken sportscaster a $6 million pay rise on his current $12 million-a-year deal.

But Stephen A. reportedly demands $25 million per year, which would make him ESPN’s top-paid talent.

The network’s president of content Burke Magnus recently added to the uncertainty around Smith’s future, saying First Take would continue even if he left the company.

“The great part about the environment that we live in … there is a wealth of talented people out there who, if given the chance, I think could also become superstars very easily on our platform,” Magnus said.

“The format of First Take I think lends to that. It’s already an ensemble situation in many ways.

“So, I don’t worry about that at all.”