Don Lemon Told To Take Day Off After He Screamed At ‘CNN This Morning’ Co-Host Kaitlan Collins 'Because She Interrupted Him’ On-Air
Feb. 2 2023, Published 7:43 p.m. ET
CNN staffers have been left "shaken" after the network's golden boy Don Lemon exploded on his co-star Kaitlan Collins in an off-camera spat that showed he might not be able to handle the morning television pressure, RadarOnline.com has learned.
After it was revealed Lemon was struggling to share the spotlight following his AM move, news broke of a heated altercation he allegedly started with his CNN This Morning co-anchor that took place on December 8. The alleged confrontation was so heated that employees are still rattled by it today.
Sources told the NY Post that Lemon, 56, approached Collins, 30, after the show's broadcast and loudly accused her of “interrupting” him during their segment.
“Don screamed at Kaitlan, who was visibly upset and ran out of the studio,” the insider spilled.
News of the co-stars' altercation made its way to CNN honcho Chris Licht, who already has enough on his plate with the struggling network and its tanking numbers.
Despite his headaches, sources claimed Licht is appalled by Lemon’s behavior, who allegedly had a producer instruct the anchor to leave work for the rest of the day and “cool off" after the incident.
The night after their fight, Lemon and Collins were reportedly supposed to grab drinks before heading to a White House Christmas party for the press. Their pre-drink meetup allegedly never happened.
An insider dished the co-stars arrived separately, with Lemon heading to dinner with his agent, Jay Sures, after the shindig.
- Kaitlan Collins All Smiles After 'CNN This Morning' Co-Anchor Don Lemon's Reprimanded For 'Screaming' At Her In Explosive Off-Air Spat
- CNN's Don Lemon 'Lost His Mind' & 'Went Ballistic' On Staffers After Company Newsletter Highlighted His Blowup With Kaitlan Collins
- CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Threatens To Move Back To Washington D.C. After Morning Show Blowup
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
Collins — who is CNN's youngest chief White House Correspondent — is also repped by Sures, and allegedly wants nothing to do with Lemon after their fight.
“At this point, Kaitlan wants to be on set with Don as little as possible,” a source shared, adding the situation surrounding the morning show is "messy.”
As RadarOnline.com reported, Licht has tried desperately to salvage the troubled network after taking it over in the spring of 2022. He even dropped the axe before Christmas by firing hundreds and disrupting his on-air hosts by playing musical chairs.
However, his efforts still haven't worked, with CNN recording its worst ratings in nine years last week.