Fox News announced in a statement on Monday that Primetime host and firebrand Anchor Tucker Carlson would be parting ways with the network. Tucker Carlson is known as a leading voice for the network with his rhetoric and speech.
This news comes just days after Fox News agreed to pay almost $800 million dollars to Dominion Voting Systems to stop them from pursuing a high-stakes Defamation case against the network that would cast a shadow over the future of it.
“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 last broadcast on April 21st showed no indication that he was parting ways with the network. Fox News also didn’t specify the reason for Carlson leaving the network.
Carlson’s show “Tucker Carlson Tonight” was one of Fox News most watched shows on Cable Television, outpacing other news rivals such as CNN and MSNBC.
Carlson, 53, established himself as one of the most influential figures in a conservative political coalition reshaped by former President Donald Trump. He regularly drew controversy for incendiary statements about race, LGBTQ rights and other topics.
In the lead up to the Dominion trial, Carlson’s internal communications were released to the public which showed him criticizing Donald Trump and saying that claims of voter fraud were baseless.
“I hate him passionately,” Carlson said in a text message to an unidentified person on Jan. 4, 2021, according to exhibits unsealed before the Dominion trial was set to begin. (Fox and Dominion settled the suit for $787.5 million last Tuesday, just as opening statements were to start.)
Even with Carlson leaving Fox News, the network still has other lawsuits its dealing with from previous statements other anchors made during the 2020 election. The network is also being sued by Abby Grossberg who is a former producer for Carlson’s show. She claims that the company is a place for discrimination and misogyny.
Fox has disputed Grossberg’s claims, and a spokeswoman for the network recently said: “We will continue to vigorously defend Fox against Ms. Grossberg’s unmeritorious legal claims, which are riddled with false allegations against Fox and our employees.”
