MSNBC’s ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ continues to suffer as namesake host’s initial extended hiatus wraps up

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is expected to return to her show Monday on the heels of a hiatus that saw her program collapse as the network struggled to replace its only primetime star.

"The Rachel Maddow Show" is on pace for its smallest weekly audience since 2016, according to Nielsen Media Research ratings. 

"The Rachel Maddow Show" has been without its namesake host since February, when she announced a several-week hiatus to work on other projects. Maddow, who reportedly earns $30 million annually, ended up missing a significant news cycle, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The week of April 4 through 8 is on pace to be the lowest-rated week for "The Rachel Maddow Show" since 2016, averaging only 1.3 million viewers through Thursday’s episode. The last time "Maddow" had a smaller average audience was the week of Dec. 26, 2016.