Fox News announced Monday morning that conservative provocateur Tucker Carlson is no longer with the network.
In an email to The Western Journal, the conservative network disclosed that one of its most prominent personalities hosted his final show Friday. It was stated that a fill-in program would broadcast this week.
“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,” the statement read.
“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,” according to the statement.
The change, which was completely unexpected, coincides with Fox News’s rising ratings.
“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,” the statement said.
“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, who has been as integral to the network’s ratings success as his fellow primetime Fox News presenters (such as Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity), departs the network amid chaos.
Dominion Voting Systems has ordered Fox News to pay nearly $800 million, the Associated Press reported on Monday.
Carlson was a central figure in the lawsuit, which involved allegations that voting machines in the 2020 presidential election were manipulated.
He emerged onto the political landscape in 2010 when he co-founded “The Daily Caller.”
More on this story via The Western Journal:
Curiously, Carlson’s departure comes shortly after Fox News touted his interview with Elon Musk.
His firing also came just after New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for him to be taken off the airwaves — or at least regulated.