Ruthless: Tucker Carlson Considered Lachlan Murdoch ‘One Of His Closest Friends’ Before Sudden Fox News Firing
April 24 2023, Published 8:15 p.m. ET
It hurts to have friends at the top. Tucker Carlson — sensationally and suddenly fired from his perch at the top of Fox News primetime — considered himself a “protected species” because of his unusually close bond with the boss, Lachlan Murdoch, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Carlson considered the eldest son of mogul Rupert Murdoch “one of his closest friends.”
The pair — one-half anchor, the other half executive chairman and chief executive officer of Fox Corporation— not only got along as “bros” but shared hardcore MAGA political beliefs, the insider told RadarOnline.com.
These reasons are why the primetime star’s firing on Monday after a producer’s discrimination lawsuit and the $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems came as a complete and utter shock to both Carlson and those closest to him.
“With friends like Lachlan, who needs enemies!” the source added.
In the early hours of Monday morning, Murdoch’s top lieutenant at Fox News, Suzanne Scott, was ordered to phone Carlson and inform the anchor that he was fired effective immediately.
Until the kiss of death, Carlson had been confident in his future. As RadarOnline.com reported, he was negotiating a hundred-million-dollar-plus contract extension that would have seen him remain at the cable news giant through 2029, at the least.
When Carlson asked why he was being dumped, Scott reportedly said the decision “came from above.”
The network provided few details in a statement announcing the move: “Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor," the Monday statement read.
Carlson’s program, Tucker Carlson Tonight, had long been one of Fox’s top-rated programs.
“Age and experience have not made Rupert — and his heir apparent Lachlan — any less ruthless," a source said.
“This is the definition of a quick kill and clean cut. Equal parts stealth-like and mystifying. Without fear or favor — and no time for a struggle.”
RadarOnline.com revealed that Carlson’s lawyers he was fired “with cause" concerning the ex-producer’s lawsuit, which claimed sexism, antisemitism, and harassment.
The “with cause” label means the company will likely seek to avoid severance payments to Carlson, who was negotiating a contract renewal through 2029.
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“He did not see this coming. He believes Murdoch and Fox — who previously provided support against the producer’s lawsuit — shifted tides to coincide with the Dominion Voting Systems settlement. He feels scapegoated," an insider said.
The network released a statement announcing Tucker's immediate departure on Monday.
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"Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the network said. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”
However, RadarOnline.com has learned the decision was not mutual — with the entire newsroom "in shock" over Carlson's abrupt exit.
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