Another TV Host Quits News Station Rocked by Scandal

Another familiar face is leaving an Indiana television station already dealing with months of controversy surrounding two meteorologists whose unusually close friendship raised eyebrows among coworkers.

Shelby Reilly, a cohost and producer of WTWO’s lifestyle program Good Day Live, announced she will leave the Nexstar-owned station in Terre Haute at the end of November.

Her departure follows the highly publicized exits of longtime chief meteorologist Jesse Walker and his younger colleague Alex Kerkhove, whose relationship became the subject of workplace complaints and allegations about station management.

Reilly shared the news in an emotional social media announcement, explaining that her career priorities had changed.

“For a long time, I thought I would do this forever. But somewhere along the way, my dreams changed,” she wrote.

The broadcaster has not publicly disclosed her next career move or suggested that the meteorologist controversy influenced her decision.

Reilly’s announcement also attracted attention because of her own workplace romance with former WTWO anchor Zeke Torres.

The couple met at the station in 2021, shortly after Reilly joined the news team. Their friendship eventually turned romantic following a birthday outing with coworkers.

Looking back on their relationship, Reilly jokingly wrote that she and Torres had become “HR’s biggest nightmare.”

The couple is planning a wedding in Marshall, Illinois, in February 2027.

Reilly graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2019 and has held several positions at WTWO, including reporter, morning anchor and fill-in weather presenter.

She left the station in March 2024 to work as a reporter for CBS Sacramento before returning to Terre Haute in January 2026 to cohost and produce Good Day Live.

Torres previously worked as a reporter and weekend anchor at WTWO before moving into university communications. He was appointed associate director of communications at Indiana State University in April 2023.

Reilly’s upcoming exit comes amid a series of departures that have attracted national attention to the local television station.

The controversy began earlier this year when meteorologist Alex Kerkhove, a recent Purdue University graduate who joined WTWO in 2025, left the station in June.

Kerkhove claimed she was fired, but Nexstar disputed that account, maintaining that it had not terminated her employment.

Following her departure, Kerkhove publicly criticized station management, alleging that supervisors had monitored her interactions with veteran meteorologist Jesse Walker.

She claimed managers restricted their conversations during work hours to approximately 15 to 20 minutes and monitored them using security cameras.

Industry newsletter FTVLive subsequently published accounts from anonymous employees who described the two meteorologists as unusually close.

One source claimed Kerkhove frequently remained near Walker even after her scheduled shifts ended.

Another described their relationship as “very creepy.”

However, the employees did not provide evidence of a romantic relationship, and neither meteorologist has publicly described their connection as anything beyond friendship and professional mentorship.

Walker, who spent more than 40 years at WTWO, strongly defended Kerkhove following her departure.

He praised her forecasting abilities and described her as one of the most talented meteorologists he had worked with during his lengthy career.

The controversy intensified in early October when Walker announced that he was leaving the station to launch an independent weather business with Kerkhove.

His planned departure quickly took an unexpected turn.

According to FTVLive, station management ended Walker’s employment before his scheduled final broadcast, preventing him from delivering an on-air farewell to longtime viewers.

Kerkhove criticized the decision in a social media post, saying Walker deserved the opportunity to say goodbye after dedicating decades to the community.

She also referred to him as her “station dad,” expressing gratitude for his guidance and friendship.

The departure of a longtime station photographer has added to the recent staff turnover, although the reasons behind that employee’s exit have not been publicly established.

Now, Reilly’s announcement means another recognizable personality will soon disappear from WTWO’s lineup.

Despite the timing, there is no verified connection between her decision to leave and the disagreements involving Walker, Kerkhove and station management.

Reilly has instead described her departure as a personal decision prompted by changing goals.

With several familiar faces leaving in a matter of months, WTWO is facing a significant period of transition.