On Monday, Fox News announced that it had parted ways with Tucker Carlson, who had been its highest-rated host. The announcement came a week after Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems settled for $787.5 million over the network’s promotion of former President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. Many people had wondered if the network’s chairman, Rupert Murdoch, would make significant changes to the network following this unprecedented deal.
In a statement, Fox News claimed that it had “mutually decided to part ways” with Carlson. However, insiders informed the media that it was a firing. The decision was reportedly made on Friday night by Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and Lachlan Murdoch, president of Fox Corporation, and Carlson was informed on Monday morning.
During his time at Fox News, Carlson had been embroiled in controversies, with his show accused of being “the most racist show in the history of cable news” by the New York Times. He was also criticized for spreading claim that Trump was the victim of electoral fraud in 2020 and for his reporting on the January 6 Capitol attack.
Fox News insiders were reportedly surprised by the news of Carlson’s dismissal, and his executive producer, Justin Wells, is also leaving Fox News.
More from Fox News:
NEW YORK — April 24, 2023 — FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.
Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st. Fox News Tonight will air live at 8 PM/ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named.
FOX News Media operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Digital, FOX News Audio, FOX News Books, the direct-to-consumer streaming services FOX Nation and FOX News International and the free ad-supported television service FOX Weather. Currently the number one network in all of cable, FNC has also been the most watched television news channel for more than 21 consecutive years, while FBN ranks among the top business channels on cable. Owned by Fox Corporation, FOX News Media reaches nearly 200 million people each month.
Carlson had been the host of Fox News’ 8 o’clock hour since 2017, quickly becoming one of the most significant voices of the Trump era and the highest-rated personality on cable news.
