Another Fox News Shocker! Shepard Smith Abruptly Quits After Tucker Carlson Feud
Oct. 12 2019, Updated 5:43 p.m. ET
Fox News anchorman Shepard Smith abruptly resigned from the network after he got in a very public feud with co-star Tucker Carlson.
Smith had been with Fox New since 1996, when bigwig Roger Ailes launched the network -- and has been the host of Shepard Smith Reporting seven days a week for years.
Smith, 55, said in a statement on Friday, October 11, "Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter. After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged. The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many. It’s been an honor and a privilege to report the news each day to our loyal audience in context and with perspective, without fear or favor. I’ve worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I’m proud to have anchored their work each day—I will deeply miss them."
He stunned viewers by announcing it would be his last day on the network.
"This is my last newscast here," Smith said on air. "Thank you for watching today and over the decades as I traveled to many of your communities and anchored this program, Studio B, and Fox Report."
Although Smith said the decision was his own, the news of his departure came after network controversy.
At the end of September, after Smith got former judge and Fox News regular Andrew Napolitano's opinions about President Donald Trump, a guest of Carlson's, Joe DiGenova, called Napolitano "a fool."
The next day, Smith fired back on his show, Smith took aim Carlson, 50, on his own show, noting that the comment was made by a "partisan" guest on an "opinion show." He said the comment went "unchallenged" by Carlson.
"Attacking our colleague who's here to offer legal assessments on our air is repugnant," Smith added at the time to viewers.
The feud continued, as Carlson ended up calling Smith "partisan."
Although Vanity Fair claimed sources said network executives told Smith to stop attacking Carlson on air, a Fox News spokesperson denied "anyone" spoke to Smith about it.
Smith's exit is another disruption for Fox News, which came under fire over various sexual harassment issues.
Fox News founder Ailes was sued by former anchor Gretchen Carlson, who said he’d sexually harassed her. That suit was settled out of court — but prompted a flurry of new allegations against Ailes. He resigned in disgrace in July 2016 and died on May 18, 2017, at age 77.
Also, Fox News star Bill O’Reilly, host of the then highest-rated cable news show, The O’Reilly Factor, left following a sexual harassment scandal.
Network host Jesse Watters’ wife Noelle filed for divorce from the TV host over his alleged affair with Emma DiGiovine when she was an associate producer for his show Watters World. After learning of the relationship, Fox transferred DiGiovine to another program, The Ingraham Angle, saying it was following proper protocol. She left the network in spring 2018.
Watters finalized his divorce and he and DiGiovine are now engaged.
Fox News has implemented rigorous sexual harassment training after the various scandals involving the network.
Before Smith, the network lost another high profile anchor, Megyn Kelly, who famously departed for NBC, where she crashed and burned.
Smith has been open about being gay, telling Time in 2017, about his longtime boyfriend, "We're as happy as we can be."
When confronted by reporters about why it took him so long to “come out,” Smith said he didn’t realize that’s what he was doing, because he didn’t consider himself to be “in.”
“I don’t mind talking about it,” he told Time. “It’s just, you know, that’s just my personal life. And I’m not hiding anything.”
Making it clear that he’s never tried to hide his sexuality, Smith explained: “I don’t think about it. It’s not a thing. I go to work. I manage a lot of people. I cover the news. I deal with holy hell around me. I go home to the man I’m in love with.”
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Smith had some wild live TV moments. Michael Lohan dropped the F bomb on his show and he narrated as Fox News covered a couple of escaped llamas in Arizona!
