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Tucker Carlson leaves Fox News
Tucker Carlson, one of Fox News, highest-rated TV hosts, has departed from the network.
Fox News announced the departure in a statement, saying that they and Carlson had "agreed to part ways." His last program aired on April 21, and his prime-time slot will be filled by a rotating cast of interim hosts until a permanent replacement is named.
The statement did not provide a reason for the decision.
Carlson's departure comes shortly after Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion, a voting machine company, over the network's coverage of the 2020 presidential election.
Dominion had accused Fox of spreading false claims that their machines were rigged against former President Donald Trump during the 2020 election. The lawsuit resulted in the disclosure of text messages indicating that Carlson's private views contrasted with his on-air output. Dominion's attorneys cited Carlson's show repeatedly in court documents as an example of defamatory programming. In addition, Fox is facing a separate lawsuit from former booker Abby Grossberg, who accused Carlson of promoting "vile sexist stereotypes."
Carlson's program was incredibly popular and regularly drew over three million viewers each night.
His departure from the network appears to have been sudden, without the customary farewell that might be expected from a long-serving presenter.