The Fox News Channel is one of the biggest multinational news networks in the world today. It was founded in 1996 and has a reputation for being a conservative-leaning news channel. Their talent pool is also excellent, as they have some of the finest anchors, correspondents, and hosts. Being a news anchor at Fox is an honour for many, which is why many former Fox News anchors are still popular even after leaving the network.
The fame of being in the media can be a double-edged sword. Being popular comes with its perks but also puts many on a pedestal. A good number of Fox anchors who left the mainstream media space did so because they could not deal with the public pressure.
Former Fox News anchors
Many former Fox and Friends anchors who left the network did so because of the scandals that came to the limelight. Some common reasons for leaving include sexual scandals, non-renewal of contracts, controversial comments, and disagreements among colleagues or management.
Some former anchors despair into oblivion while a good percentage create their personal platforms where they continue with media work. Technology has been good as most anchors and reporters resort to starting podcasts, YouTube channels, and online political shows.
1. Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson is one of the most famous media figures among the American public today. He has managed to maintain a public presence ever since he was fired. He is as contentious as he is popular.
The conservative political commentator worked at Fox for 14 years. He started as cohost of Fox & Friends Weekend in 2009 and was the host of the nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News when he was fired in 2023.
After exiting Fox, the former Fox News anchor launched his subscription streaming service, Tucker Carlson Network, which is home to a couple of political shows, interviews, short-form videos, and monologues
2. Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck started his stint at Fox in 2009 after President Obama's inauguration. The conservative political commentator, radio host, entrepreneur, and television producer worked for Fox from 2009 to 2011, where he had a daily show.
Glenn Beck was controversial and fierce and sometimes went overboard with his commentary. One of his infamous moments was when he said that former president Barack Obama had a deep-seated hatred of white people.
Beck's show was doing well for a while before the decline started. His exit was inevitable, especially after a series of disagreements between himself and Fox management. Today, Glenn Beck runs Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his television and radio network TheBlaze.
3. Shepard Smith
Shepard Smith left Fox in 2019 after being on the network for 23 years. Smith joined Fox News Channel in 1996 and has had different shows that peaked during different times in his career. He left Fox after an ugly incident with Tucker Carlson in 2019.
He later joined CNBC in 2020, where he hosted a daily evening newscast called The News with Shepard Smith. The show was later cancelled for low ratings. Shepard Smith is, however, still at CNBC as its chief general news anchor and chief general breaking news anchor.
4. Bill O’Reilly
Bill O'Reilly was forced to resign from Fox in 2017 after a series of sexual harassment allegations against him. O'Reilly is one of the former Fox News anchors who has worked in the network for more than two decades as a host and lead in multiple programs on the network.
When leaving, O'Reilly hosted one of Fox News's biggest shows, The O'Reilly Factor. Advertisers' boycotts and the sexual allegations led to the former host leaving. Today, the personality hosts his podcast, No Spin News, available on his website and other platforms.
5. Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly, like many other former hosts, went on to start a podcast. The former Fox Sunday anchor hosts a talk show and podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, that airs daily on SiriusXM. Prior to her new show, the 53-year-old media personality worked at Fox between 2004 and 2017.
After her 13-year career at Fox News, Megyn Kelly went to NBC, where she hosted a Sunday night program and a weekday morning talk show, Megyn Kelly Today. Bad ratings and a controversial comment she made about blackface in 2018 led to the cancellation of the show.
6. Eric Bolling
One name that cannot miss from the list of fired Fox News anchors is Eric Bolling. He was made to leave Fox after his sexting scandal. The veteran news reporter and commentator was exposed for sending lewd photos to his colleagues, a move that saw the network suspend him.
Bolling had joined Fox Business Network in March 2008 as a financial analyst and had worked in various programs at the network until his ouster in 2017. Today, he hosts a weeknight hour-long program, Eric Bolling The Balance, on Newsmax TV, which premiered in July 2021.
7. Jenna Lee
She is one of the renowned former female Fox News anchors. Like many on this list, she decided to continue pursuing her careers in media in different capacities after leaving the network.
Jenna Lee worked at Fox News for seven years before announcing that she would leave the network to pursue other projects. Presently, Lee runs SmartHER News, a media platform targeting an audience that treasures quick, concise and non-partisan news.
8. Chris Wallace
Veteran broadcast journalist Chris Wallace has been on TV for the longest time. The 74-year-old was often compared to his father, Mike Wallace, a former American journalist and reporter. Wallace worked at Fox News from 2003 to 2021.
Wallace refused to renew his contract at Fox News, and when later asked the reason why, he said:
just no longer felt comfortable with the programming at Fox.
Chris Wallace is one of the former Fox News anchors whose broadcasting career did not stop there. Today, the journalist works at CNN.
9. Gretchen Carlson
Gretchen Carlson first started working at Fox News in 2006. Her debut was on Fox & Friends as a weekend substitute host. She worked her way up and had her own program in 2013.
Carlson worked until 2016, when her contract was not renewed. Carlson later filed a lawsuit against the network, alleging that she was fired because she refused the sexual advances of Roger Ailes, the founding chairman of Fox News.
Her exit from Fox made her start something she is passionate about. Gretchen works at Lift Our Voices, a non-profit advocating for worker's rights, which she co-founded with Julie Roginsky.
10. Kiran Chetry
Kiran Chetry joined Fox News in 2001 as a general reporter and worked till 2007 in various capacities at the network.
Her exit at Fox came with raised eyebrows as sources said that Chetry was forced to leave because she wanted Gretchen Carlson fired, a move the network was uncomfortable with. After Fox, CNN hired Chetry as an anchor and correspondent and was given different roles through the years.
Final word
The gutsy former Fox News anchors do not hibernate after getting axed. Many, even the disgraced anchors, disappear from the limelight for a while and come back having rebranded. If not poached by other media stations, the former anchors find avenues for streaming content their target audience can relate to.
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