Don Lemon has been fired from CNN after 17 years on the community, in a sudden transfer that the anchor says has left him “stunned”.
The community introduced that the 2 events had “parted ways” in a quick three-line assertion on Monday.
While the assertion provided no rationalization for the sudden departure, it comes after Lemon has been mired in a string of controversies in latest months – with accusations of constructing offensive on-air feedback about girls and of mistreating feminine coworkers off-camera.
“CNN and Don have parted ways,” CNN stated in a press release posted on Twitter.
“Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Lemon took to Twitter to launch a press release slamming the community for failing to inform him in particular person and as an alternative leaving it to his agent to ship the information.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,” he stated.
“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly.”
He added: “At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”
Lemon went on to pay tribute to his colleagues at CNN who he described because the “most talented journalists in the business”.
“With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best,” he stated.
CNN pushed again on Lemon’s declare about his termination in a follow-up assertion.
“Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter,” the community stated.
The shock announcement comes simply hours after he co-hosted “CNN This Morning” with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins like regular on Monday morning.
However, his axing comes at a time when the longtime anchor has confronted a string of latest scandals in latest months.
Earlier this yr, he got here beneath hearth for feedback he had made on-air about presidential candidate Nikki Haley not being “in her prime” on the age of 51.
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” he stated on an episode of “CNN This Morning” again in February.
“When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”
Lemon confronted an immediate backlash over the feedback and he was lacking from the morning present for a couple of days.
Ahead of returning to the air, CNN introduced that he would bear ”formal coaching” and he posted an apology on Twitter.
“I appreciate the opportunity to be back on CNN This Morning today,” he tweeted.
“To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon.”
Then, earlier this month, Lemon was accused of mistreating a number of feminine colleagues all through his profession at CNN.
Multiple present or former staff informed Variety about situations the place the favored host had been inappropriate in direction of his feminine coworkers together with Nancy Grace, Soledad O’Brien and Kyra Phillips, his former co-anchor on CNN’s “Live From”.
Lemon’s rep responded to the report by describing it as “15-year-old anonymous gossip”, whereas CNN stated that it had been “unable to corroborate the alleged accounts”.
Lemon joined CNN again in 2006, most lately working as a co-anchor “CNN This Morning” with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins on weekday mornings.
He additionally hosted “Don Lemon Tonight” on weekdays at 10pm.
Prior to CNN, he labored as an anchor at NBC Chicago and as a correspondent for NBC News, the “TODAY” present and “NBC Nightly News.”
His exit got here the identical day that Fox News made a shock announcement on Monday that it had “agreed to part ways” with Tucker Carlson.
“Mr Carlson’s last programme was Friday April 21st. 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,” the community stated.
Fox News additionally provided no rationalization for the sudden exit of one in every of its greatest hosts – although it got here simply days after the community agreed to pay $787m to Dominion Voting Systems over election lies the software program firm claimed have been pushed on Carlson’s and different character’s exhibits.
