CNN’s Rahel Solomon is shifting into a brand new anchor chair because the community refreshes its slate of programming, reviving the morning present’s former title, Early Begin, for her new 5 a.m. broadcast.
In January, CNN introduced major changes to its schedule, which concerned shifting CNN This Morning anchor Kasie Hunt to her personal afternoon program, The Area With Kasie Hunt. In her stead, the community pulled in two of its rising stars to separate the 5-7 a.m. hours.
Solomon — who beforehand anchored CNN Newsroom on CNN Worldwide and CNN Max — relaunched Early Begin on Monday, March 10, which now airs weekdays from 5-6 a.m. ET. Audie Cornish took over the CNN This Morning model, now airing from 6-7 a.m.
Solomon received her begin in native information, and anchored the morning information at CBS-3 Philadelphia from 2017 to 2019. She then moved to CNBC as a enterprise reporter earlier than becoming a member of CNN full-time in April 2022, overlaying world enterprise information for the community, in addition to CNN Worldwide.
Right here’s 5 issues to learn about Early Begin’s new host, Rahel Solomon.
She nearly had a very totally different profession
Solomon, who attended St. John’s College in Queens, N.Y., in 2010, says she had a final minute change of coronary heart as she was making ready to graduate in 2010.
“I studied finance in faculty and nearly went into banking however realized my final semester — banking wasn’t the most effective match,” she tells PEOPLE. “The truth that I graduated not lengthy after the Nice Recession and jobs had been exhausting to come back by additionally inspired me to assume otherwise about subsequent steps.”
She determined to take a yr off and later returned to highschool to review journalism, finally combining her tutorial passions to land on the earth of monetary journalism.
“By no means noticed that coming however perhaps I ought to have?” Solomon admits. “Now I get to do each issues I really like and discover fascinating.”
She’s lived all around the world
rahel solomon
Solomon was born in Sudan to Ethiopian mother and father, and life has taken her all around the globe — from West Virginia to Colorado, and even to France, Spain and Italy throughout a examine overseas program.
“However the place I’ve lived the longest is my hometown Philadelphia — and like most individuals there, I’m a really loud and proud Philly woman!” she says, including, “Go Birds!”
She as soon as had a “spicy” viral second
Solomon was a morning anchor for CBS Philly again in 2017 when the “sizzling chip problem” was a web based development. Naturally, she and her co-anchor determined to strive it out on air.
“My mother has at all times stated I’ve beloved spicy meals since I used to be a child,” she explains, proudly noting her Ethiopian heritage. “Whereas [the chip] was spicy, apparently it was a lot spicier to my co-anchor [Jim Donovan].”
“It was a enjoyable and lighthearted second, and he was an excellent sport about it,” Solomon recollects. “It went viral, and though this was in 2017, individuals will nonetheless ask if that’s me within the video. It recirculates on occasion! I’ll by no means dwell it down.”
She received married on the Philadelphia Museum of Artwork
Solomon tied the knot with lawyer and fellow Philadelphian Marcel S. Pratt on July 13, 2024, and PEOPLE shared the unique first have a look at the couple’s beautiful ceremony, which honored their shared cultures — from Solomon’s Ethiopian roots to Pratt’s membership within the traditionally Black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
“The marriage was like a film, all the things and everybody appeared so stunning. The vows had been so heartfelt, the music was nice and we even had time to rapidly get pleasure from dinner between photographs,” Solomon beforehand advised PEOPLE of her two-day celebration, which started on the Philadelphia Museum of Artwork, aka “The Rocky stairs.”
Of how she met her now-hubby, Solomon now says, “We met at a networking occasion that I did NOT need to attend however I used to be dragged alongside by a good friend! I didn’t go away with a job however as destiny would have it, I did meet my future husband.”
She will go the gap
Courtesy of Rahel Solomon
Solomon describes herself as an “on-again, off-again” long-distance runner.
“I’ve accomplished a half marathon, a full marathon and a number of 10 milers,” she shares, particularly naming The Broad Road Run in Philly. “After I’m within the swing of it, I really like lengthy distance runs.”
Acknowledging that her post-run restoration intervals can typically flip into “years of relaxation,” she says: “I am engaged on consistency!”
Tune In
Early Begin with Rahel Solomon airs weekdays at 5 a.m. ET on CNN, CNNi and CNN Max.
