‘The Daily’ host Michael Barbaro splits from husband, dating female producer

Michael Barbaro — the rising-star host of the New York Times’ hit podcast “The Daily” — has split with his husband and is now dating the show’s executive producer, Lisa Tobin, Page Six has learned.

Media insiders have been buzzing behind the scenes over Barbaro and Tobin’s relationship — which the couple has revealed to their Times bosses, sources said.

“They do not report to each other, they work together,” said one insider. “They did alert their manager and some other folks at the Times.”

Political correspondent-turned-podcast star Barbaro married fellow Yale grad Timothy Levin in 2014 and has reportedly been known to make references to his husband on “The Daily.” New York state Supreme Court records reveal that the couple have filed for an uncontested divorce, and that the proceedings are ongoing.





But sources insisted that Barbaro and Tobin’s relationship did not begin until Barbaro and Levin had already parted ways.

A source added of Barbaro and Tobin: “They work very closely together … part of the show’s success is this team’s close work.” The source said there is “nothing inappropriate” about the relationship.

Tobin was hired in 2016 by the Times as its first executive producer for audio, arriving from Boston’s WBUR. (She announced this year that the podcast will become a longer radio program as well.)

Barbaro’s worked at the Times since 2005, but has more recently shot to stardom as host of “The Daily,” with 5 million listeners a month.

A gushing Vanity Fair profile this week dubbed Barbaro “the Ira Glass of the New York Times” — adding, “Barbaro has actually become kind of legitimately famous,” with appearances on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and a sold-out 92Y talk. The piece praised his “signature bespectacled, Wesleyan-chic look.” The New Yorker has breathlessly observed Barbaro’s “interesting arrangement of facial hair,” “cool glasses” and “daring combinations of clashing patterns.”





VF’s piece added that the scene at the Times “can often resemble a large high-school cafeteria.” It seems like Barbaro and Tobin’s courtship has been the talk of the cool kids.

Barbaro and a rep for the Times declined to comment. Levin did not get back to us.





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