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Fox News host Tucker Carlson speaks at a National Review Constitute upshot on March 29, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The network announced Monday that information technology would "part ways" with Carlson. Fleck Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Fox News host Tucker Carlson speaks at a National Review Institute event on March 29, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The network announced Monday that it would "part ways" with Carlson.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In an ascetic, four-sentence statement, Fox News announced Monday that prime-fourth dimension star Tucker Carlson is leaving the network, effective immediately.

"Pull a fast one on News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part means," the network said in a statement released past a spokesperson. "We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor."

Fox said Carlson's last day hosting his show was Friday, April 21. Suzanne Scott and Lachlan Murdoch, the chief executives of Play a trick on News and its parent visitor Play a joke on Corp. respectively, had decided Carlson's fate on Fri, a source with knowledge told NPR.

Yet fifty-fifty subsequently Trick released its argument on Mon morning, the network was still promoting an interview between Carlson and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that was to have aired later that night.

Carlson had signed off of Friday'southward testify by wishing viewers the "all-time weekend" and telling them he'd be back on Mon. He did non respond to a request for comment from NPR.

The ouster of Fox'south top opinion host comes less than a week later Fox settled an ballsy defamation lawsuit by an ballot engineering science company for more than than $787 million. Dominion Voting Systems sued over segments promoting artificial claims that election fraud cheated then-President Donald Trump of victory in 2020.

Carlson featured in Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuit. Yet he is besides the focus of a lawsuit from his former senior booking producer, Abby Grossberg, who filed 2 separate suits.

Producer suing Carlson for sex bigotry celebrates his departure

In a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York, Grossberg accused Carlson and Fob of sexism and harassment, alleging that his show's workplace was replete with examples of misogyny. Her lawsuit claims, among other things, that mocked-up photographic images depicted then-U.South. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "in a bathing adjust revealing her cleavage" and that staffers were polled — on ii separate occasions — on which of two female candidates for Michigan governor they would rather have sex with.

"Tucker Carlson'southward difference from Play a joke on News is, in part, an admission of the systemic lying, bullying, and conspiracy-mongering claimed by our client," said Tanvir Rahman, one of Grossberg'due south lawyers, in a argument Monday afternoon. "Mr. Carlson and his subordinates remain private defendants in the Southward.D.N.Y. instance and nosotros wait frontward to taking their depositions under adjuration in the very near term."

Play a joke on also booted the senior executive producer of Carlson's show, Justin Wells, who also is named as a defendant in that lawsuit.

Grossberg'southward other lawsuit, filed in Delaware, focuses on the deportment of Fox's legal team. She says the attorneys pressured her to lie in her sworn statements for the defamation case well-nigh what she witnessed at the network.

Fox vigorously denied the accusations against its lawyers. Information technology fired Grossberg afterward she filed her suits, alleging that she disclosed privileged information amid the defamation litigation that she was not legally entitled to make public.

"This is a step towards accountability for the election lies and baseless conspiracy theories spread by Play a joke on News, something I witnessed firsthand," said Grossberg in the argument about Carlson'south ouster. "This is some justice for the American people and for Fox News viewers who've been manipulated and lied to for years, all in an try to boost the channel's ratings and acquirement."

Documents made public before the settlement with Dominion Voting Systems reveal a clear dissever between what Carlson said on air and behind the scenes. On his bear witness, he raised skeptical questions over the lack of evidence for assertions made past a key Trump marry, Sidney Powell. In Jan 2021, however, he hosted a leading advertiser, My Pillow founder Mike Lindell, who repeated the false claims in one case more. In his private communications to a colleague, Carlson called Powell an exceptionally vulgar and denigrating term for a woman.

Play a joke on says a rotating cast of personalities will fill in during the prime number-time slot until the network names a permanent replacement.

A star who survived controversy after controversy

Carlson was by far the network's near prominent personality, stepping in smoothly to replace former star host Bill O'Reilly after a series of sexual harassment allegations forced his divergence. (O'Reilly has denied those accusations.)

Carlson has also established a major footprint at Fox Nation, its streaming site that caters to an even more pronounced correct-wing sensibility.

Despite his shocking departure, Carlson had endured more controversies than most cablevision news stars could promise to survive professionally. In July 2020, his top writer was forced out after information technology was discovered he had posted racist, sexist and homophobic commentaries. Terminal calendar month, the Daily Dot found that one of Carlson'due south staffers had the habit of "liking" posts from VDare, a site for white nationalists.

His show has been condemned by civil rights leaders for broadcasting racist, antisemitic and anti-immigrant ideology.

His work on his bear witness — accentuated by specials on the streaming service — also sparked a firestorm by seeking to exonerate people who participated in the Jan. half-dozen, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol every bit borough-minded people who were being politically persecuted.

That contributed to the decision by several prominent Flim-flam figures to depart — including Fox News Dominicus host Chris Wallace and bourgeois commentators Steve Hayes and Jonah Goldberg.

Mary Yang contributed to this story.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/24/1171641969/fox-news-fires-tucker-carlson-in-stunning-move-a-week-after-787-million-settleme