According to a new report, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, who was Geraldo Rivera’s on-air sparring partner on the Fox News program “The Five,” took his battles with Rivera off the air as well. Gutfeld is cited as a primary cause for Rivera’s departure from the show.
Rivera announced last week that he would be leaving the popular program.
“There has been a growing tension that goes beyond editorial differences and personal annoyances and gripes. It’s not worth it to me,” Rivera said, according to The Associated Press.
In describing his departure, he did not mention Gutfeld by name.
Rivera said he chose to leave “The Five” but that Fox News “didn’t race after me to say, ‘Geraldo, please come back.’”
Morning, it’s official, I’m off @TheFive. My last scheduled show appearances are Thursday and Friday June 29th and 30th. It’s been a great run and I appreciate having had the opportunity. Being odd man out isn’t always easy. For the time being, I’m still Correspondent at Large.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) June 21, 2023
According to an unnamed source, the gossip website Radar Online portrayed the departure as the conclusion of a saga that included “knockdown drag-out fights” between the two.
“Geraldo and Greg do not get along. That is obvious to anyone who watches ‘The Five.’ But what people didn’t see on television is how often that tension spilled over to off-the-camera,” the insider said.
“There is no love lost between Geraldo and Greg, that is for certain,” the insider said.
According to the source cited by Radar Online, Rivera appeared to have overstayed his welcome at Fox News.
“Geraldo was once the favorite of Fox — but he doesn’t have that role anymore. Greg is the new king of Fox News having dominated the late-night timeslot with his show ‘Gutfeld!’” the insider said.
“Being at the top of your game ensures you have network bosses eating out the palm of his hands! In this power struggle, Gutfeld won,” the source said.
Geraldo Rivera appeared to have a strained relationship with Greg Gutfeld after multiple heated exchanges on "The Five" and had suggested that the co-host was the reason he was showing up less frequently on the cable news show. https://t.co/kLlcwXQXjD
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 21, 2023
According to a source cited by Radar Online, Rivera lacked support from senior management.
“When the tension between Greg and Geraldo spilled from on-air to off-air — and people were forced to pick a side — it came down to choosing between a Fox News stalwart or the future of Fox News. And Greg had the overwhelming backing,” the source said.
In its report, the Los Angeles Times wrote that “Rivera’s departure is likely part of the cost-cutting moves that have been made across the network over the last month.”
According to a report by The New York Times, layoffs are associated with Fox News’ nearly $800 million defamation lawsuit settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.