Fox News announced on Monday that it is cutting ties with fiery anchor Tucker Carlson, the network’s most well-liked prime-time host and a prominent figure in the contemporary conservative movement known for his provocative remarks and conspiratorial language.
The network announced the stunning news days after it agreed to pay nearly $800 million to Dominion Voting Systems to avert a high-stakes defamation trial that had cast a shadow over the future of the network.
“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the company said in a short news release. “Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st.”
Carlson’s most recent broadcast did not feature any indication that he was preparing to leave the network. “We’ll be back on Monday,” he said cheerfully at the end of Friday’s episode.
Fox News did not specify why Carlson is leaving, and a spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email from NBC News requesting more information on his abrupt exit.
The network’s statement did not include any comment from Carlson. The network will rely on a rotation of interim hosts until it names a permanent anchor for the 8 p.m. ET programming block.
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade anchored the 8 p.m. hour on Monday and opened the show with a brief statement addressing the elephant in the room: “As you probably have heard, Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. I wish Tucker the best.”
“I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be,” Kilmeade added. “But right now, it’s time for ‘Fox News Tonight,’ so let’s get started.”