Featured Image Credit: Fox News
Topics: Tucker Carlson, Film and TV, Celebrity
Gregory Robinson
Tucker Carlson's replacement on Fox News has been confirmed.
On Monday (24 April) it was announced that by Fox that Carlson would be leaving the network with immediate effect.
The decision came as a shock to Fox News viewers - and likely to Carlson, who appeared to be unaware that his show on 21 April would be his last Fox News Tonight.
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Fox announced the 53-year-old's exit on Monday morning with little explanation for the decision.
"Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways," their statement said.
"We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.
"Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st. 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."
The next temporary replacement has been confirmed; Rising Fox News star Lawrence Jones.
The 30-year-old will be the new face of Carlson's 8pm weekday slot. He has hosted a weekend primetime show on Fox, Lawrence Jones Cross Country, since January 2022.
Jones is joining the network following Brian Kilmeade who took over from Carlson.
It is currently unclear what is up next for Carlson as he has remained cryptic about his next job move in remarks made to the media and a video statement shared on Twitter. Due to his Fox News contract he is currently barred from taking part in formal job negotiations.
It's reported that, after spending nearly a decade at Fox, he's set to be paid out for the rest of his contract, which was renewed as recently as 2021.
Though it's unclear how many years were left on the Carlson's contract, high profile media personalities typically negotiate anywhere from one to six years.
Viewers have shown their disappointment with the ousting of Carlson as they appear to be ditching the network en masse. Carlson’s departure from Fox has caused a drop in viewership.
On average, Carlson's program had been earning about 3.3 millions viewers per night but this all changed after Monday's shock announcement.
According to TVNewser, approximately 2,597,000 tuned in to Fox News Tonight, hosted by the first of a number of rotating hosts, Kilmeade. That's a decline of more than 20 percent.