Tucker Carlson, Fox News Channel’s biggest prime time star, has left the cable news giant.
“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson he agreed to part ways,” Fox News said in statement. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”
The network said Carlson has already hosted his last episode of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
“Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st” the statement continued. “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.
Carlson was almost always at the top of the ratings in prime time, drawing a massive audience that often dwarfed several of his competitors combined. As The Daily Wire previously reported, Carlson’s show in reruns often eclipsed the audience of original programming at other networks.
A source told The Daily Wire Carlson’s staff was blindsided by the news and only learned late Monday morning when members received an email from the prime time star.
The popular host’s abrupt exit comes just under a week after the network settled a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for just under $800 million — narrowly oiding a trial, in which Carlson would he been expected to testify.
The news of Carlson’s departure comes just a week after syndicated talk radio host and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino announced that he was leing Fox News, citing a breakdown in contract negotiations.
“Folks, regretfully, last week was my last show on Fox News on the Fox News Channel,” Bongino said on his podcast at the time.
“So the show ending last week was tough. And I want you to know it’s not some big conspiracy. I promise you. There’s not, there’s no acrimony. This wasn’t some, like, WWE brawl that happened. We just couldn’t come to terms on an extension. And that’s really it,” he added.
For his part, Carlson has yet to publicly address his exit, and no reports he yet begun to circulate regarding any potential future plans.