It came as a bit of a surprise to many to see Tucker Carlson leave Fox News on Monday (24 April), after being a staple on the network for many years.
During his time at Fox, Carlson served as a co-host of Fox and Friends Weekend, while also being a primetime host on the channel.
Despite this, the presenter has come under fire in the past for his outspoken views and controversial statements.
In a statement confirming his departure, Fox said: "We thank him for his service as a host and prior to that as a contributor. Mr Carlson’s last programme was Friday April 21st.
Advert
"Fox News Tonight will air live at 8pm starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating Fox News personalities until a new host is named."
While his imminent departure did come as a surprise to some, people looking back at some of his previous comments are now questioning how Carlson wasn't sacked sooner.
Carlson is infamous for some controversial opinions and some believe many of his previous comments went too far.
Advert
So, let's take you through some of the most controversial statements said by the TV presenter.
'You should stick to the high-thigh boots'
The first one involves a 2016 interview Carlson did with former Teen Vogue writer, Lauren Duca, shortly after Donald Trump's presidential victory.
She appeared on Fox News to discuss an incident where a man confronted the Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, on a flight.
Advert
However, tensions quickly heightened as Duca spoke about her role at Teen Vogue working on fashion while also covering politics.
But Carlson completely cut her off, saying: "You should stick to the thigh-high boots. You're better at that."
When Duca responded calling the controversial presenter sexist, she was completely cut off air.
Carlson did later apologise for his comments, but then proceeded to call her 'vapid' and 'not very impressive'.
Advert
Leaked squabble off air
Fast forward three years to 2019, and Carlson is making headlines once more for some of his comments.
This incident was actually not on air, but leaked footage of it actually made its way into the media, leading to Carlson having to explain himself once more.
Advert
In the footage, Carlson had a bit of a disagreement with historian, Rutger Bregman, about taxes, which led to the presenter telling him to go 'f**k yourself'.
Comments made about Barrack Obama
It is safe to say that Carlson is not the biggest fan of former US president Barack Obama, and he certainly made that clear as he appeared on the Bubba the Love Sponge Show.
In fact, he made a lot of controversial comments on the show between 2006 and 2011.
Advert
Some of the most infamous ones include a string of racist comments about Iraqis and Barack Obama, with him referring to the former as 'primitive monkeys'.
The presenter's views on immigrants
The subject of immigrants is a very sensitive one, but Carlson has certainly made his views on the matter public in the past.
Advert
In 2018, the presenter accused immigrants coming to the US of making the country 'poorer, and dirtier, and more divided'.
This resulted in huge backlash, with at least 20 companies pulling adverts from Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Opposition against Black Lives Matter
Carlson was a strong opponent to the Black Lives Matter movement, and made some rather controversial speeches surrounding the matter.
Advert
In a staggering speech on June 3 2020, he focused his speech on unarmed Black Americans who were shot by police, providing reasons as to why each victim deserved to be killed.
Coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic
As Carlson was on primetime show at the height of the pandemic, many turned to him for the latest information in what was a rather worrying time.
Advert
But Carlson quickly became one of the loudest figures when it came to conspiracy theories surrounding the vaccine.
Using data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, he claimed that the vaccine was 'the single deadliest mass vaccination event in modern history.'
Attack on the Capitol
6 Jan 2021 was a day many Americans will remember for ever, as a mob of Trump supporters stormed Capitol Building following Joe Biden's presidential victory.
Advert
The attack led to five people being killed and at least 138 police officers being injured.
Carlson's views on the attack were controversial to say the least, as he claimed the violent protesters who breached the building 'were orderly and meek'.
He went on to say, "These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers.”
That's just a few of Tucker Carlson's most shocking moments that didn't result in his sacking. Can you think of anything else? Let us known in the comments.
Topics: Film and TV, Tucker Carlson, US News, Racism
Callum Jones