Axed: Alisyn Camerota Loses Plum Primetime Gig in Yet Another CNN Shake-Up — Just 2 Weeks After Jeff Zucker Scandal
Aug. 14 2023, Published 8:55 a.m. ET
Alisyn Camerota is out as CNN’s 10 PM primetime host just two weeks after a scandal involving her and former network chief Jeff Zucker, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
In the latest CNN shake-up to come since Zucker left the network in February 2022, it was revealed on Monday morning that Camerota will be replaced by senior political correspondent Abby Phillip.
Phillip previously hosted CNN’s Inside Politics Sunday and is set to take over for Camerota for the 10 PM primetime hour every weeknight.
Meanwhile, network chief legal analyst Laura Coates will reportedly anchor CNN’s 11 PM hour.
Both Phillip and Coates will take over for Camerota’s CNN Tonight which aired every weeknight from 10 PM to midnight, according to the New York Times.
Camerota seemingly teased her departure from her plum primetime gig on Sunday when she published a somewhat cryptic post to Instagram about “new adventures.”
“As the sun sets on a great family vacation, feeling grateful and excited for all our new adventures,” she wrote over the weekend.
Camerota will now reportedly focus on reporting for CNN’s more long-form programs, such as the Sunday night series The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper.
As RadarOnline.com reported last month, CNN was “testing possible replacements” for Camerota after she and ex-boss Zucker were caught holding hands after a brunch party at Don Lemon’s Hamptons home in July.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that CNN was eyeing Sara Sidner to replace Camerota, although Phillip and Coates were ultimately chosen to split the 10 PM to midnight primetime timeslot.
“This week, I learned that the network is testing possible replacements for Alisyn Camerota at 10 p.m. – no doubt her attendance at Don Lemon’s Hamptons house, alongside Zucker, did not endear her to the bosses at [Warner Bros. Discovery] – and that Sara Sidner is seen as a possible candidate,” Puck reported at the time.
“None of these decisions stand to change the fortunes of CNN’s declining linear business,” the outlet added.
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Camerota came under fire after she and Zucker were seen holding hands while leaving Lemon’s Hamptons home, and CNN insiders slammed the 57-year-old anchor as “fame-thirsty” and “tacky” over the incident.
“Alisyn should know better, especially after talking so much s--- about Fox over coworkers' inappropriate behavior there,” one source fumed last month.
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“Her holding hands for clout with Jeff was inappropriate,” the insider continued. “She is well-respected at the network, but this was extremely fame-thirsty and she knew damn well what she was doing would get people talking.”
CNN has suffered a number of major shake-ups following Zucker’s departure in February 2022 – including Chris Licht’s brief stint as network CEO, Lemon’s termination from the network in April, and fledgling star Kaitlan Collins’ sudden promotion to the coveted 9 PM timeslot.
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