Fox News has announced that Tucker Carlson, one of the most popular US TV hosts, is leaving the network.
Fox News said that it and Mr. Carlson had “parted ways” in a statement.
His final television broadcast aired on Friday, April 21, the statement noted. A succession of temporary hosts will now take over hosting his primetime show until a permanent replacement is identified.
The succinct two-paragraph explanation did not justify the choice.
A Fox News anchor announced his retirement live on air and expressed gratitude for “his service to the network.”
Mr. Carlson was not only a well-liked presenter, but also a significant figure in history. His programs frequently set the agenda for Republicans and, by extension, conservatives.
According to Nielson data for the week of March 27 to April 2, his program was among the top ten-rated cable TV shows in the US with four of the spots.
With more than three million viewers tuning in on a typical night, he was Fox News’ top-rated host.
Seven million people watched his recent interview with former president Donald Trump, which is unprecedented in the realm of US cable news.
The announcement comes just after Fox News reached a defamation settlement with Dominion, the manufacturer of voting machines, regarding its coverage of the 2020 presidential election.
Dominion said in the complaint that Fox’s misleading accusations that its computers were rigged against Mr. Trump hurt its company.
The case led to the discovery of text texts that revealed Mr. Carlson’s private opinions differed from those expressed in his broadcast work.
Dominion’s lawyers frequently used his show in court documents to support their contention that some of its production was defamatory because it aired in the highly sought-after 20:00–21:00 EST time.
A complaint against Fox News was also filed in March by former booker Abby Grossberg, who accused him of using “vile sexist stereotypes”. Fox News filed a countersuit and declared that it would “vigorously defend these claims”.
Despite revelations in the Dominion case showing he had privately claimed he “hated” the former president, Mr. Carlson’s most recent interview with Mr. Trump took place two weeks ago.
During his final week on Fox News, he also spoke with Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
