Andrea Mitchell was emotional on her last day in the anchor chair on her MSNBC show, and her colleagues had a surprise in store for her final minutes.

Andrea Mitchell, 78, previously revealed that she would end her run on 'Andrea Mitchell Reports' after the inauguration. Now, PEOPLE can confirm her final day at the desk

Mitchell, who announced her exit in October, will continue to serve as NBC News' Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent moving forward.

Veteran journalist Andrea Mitchell signs off from her MSNBC show for the final time today, Friday, February 7, after 17 years at the network, and viewers are reacting to her exit from the anchor chair.

Andrea Mitchell has set Friday as her last day in the MSNBC anchor chair after 17 years as the host of “Andrea Mitchell Reports.” Mitchell, 78, revealed in October that she would transition to a broader role at NBC News after the presidential inauguration but had not announced a specific date for that change.

Andrea Mitchell anchored her final edition of MSNBC’s long-running Andrea Mitchell Reports, with staffers and colleagues past and present entering the studio to give her an ovation as she wrapped up the show.

After almost two decades as the host of MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, Andrea Mitchell signed off for the very last time on Friday (February 7) with an emotional farewell to audiences. In the final moments of her show,

MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell shared a heartfelt goodbye to her viewers as she took the anchor's chair for the final time after 17 years leading her own daily show

Andrea Mitchell will bring the curtain down on her career as an MSNBC anchor on Friday. The veteran journalist has been the face of the network’s noontime hour since 2008 as the host of Andrea Mitchell Reports.

Andrea Mitchell has exited her MSNBC show, Andrea Mitchell Reports, after 17 years. She will remain as the network's Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent