(NEW YORK, NY.) —The dramatic exits of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon from Fox News and CNN, respectively, have thrown the world of cable news into disarray. Both departures took place before noon on Monday.
In a statement released Monday morning, Fox stated that Carlson’s last show aired this past Friday, April 21. The network did not specify a reason for the split, only stating “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.” A rotation of hosts will occupy Carlson’s primetime slot until a permanent host is named.
Although Fox has yet to release further information, this is the network’s first major move since the $787.5 million settlement last week with Dominion Voting Systems. Shares of Fox Corp. dropped 4% seconds after the announcement of Carlson’s departure.
The AP reports that Carlson was recently named in a lawsuit filed by a former Fox producer, claiming that the show created a cruel and misogynistic workplace.
Carlson has yet to publicly respond to the news.
Don Lemon, who had been with CNN for 17 years, stated on Twitter that he was blindsided by the termination, which he says he learned about through his agent.
Lemon served as one of three co-hosts on CNN’s morning show until today. “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone at management would have had the decency to tell me directly.”
Lemon’s firing comes after a series of controversies. Variety magazine published an investigation, alleging a series of misogynistic comments and incidents that Lemon caused at CNN in the late 2000s.
Earlier this year, Lemon caught controversy when he implied that Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, ambassador to the UN, and Republican candidate for president, was no longer “in her prime” at the age of 51. When cohost Poppy Harlow raised an objection, he stated that “a woman is in her prime in her 20s, 30s, maybe her 40s,” but not past.
Lemon completed sensitivity training, and was returned to air.
CNN disputed Lemon’s statement, tweeting that management had offered to meet with him, but were turned down.