Fox News Stars Who Got Abruptly Fired

[Gimbiya]

Over the past year and a half, Fox News has gone through some dramatic changes, with many of the biggest hosts and producers at the network either leaving or being fired. In many cases, these hosts left in disgrace following a scandal, while in other cases, they jumped ship to another channel due to behind-the-scenes drama.
Aside from the obvious major stars who have been fired recently, there are also a few contributors who have quietly been axed that viewers might not have even been aware of. In a few instances, on-air talent departed on bad terms with Fox, including Megyn Kelly and Glenn Beck, but chose to leave and were not actually fired. Not everyone was so lucky.
Here are some of the Fox News hosts who have been suddenly let go by the network over the years.
1. Bill O’Reilly
Bill O’Reilly | Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Perhaps the most significant firing in Fox News’ history was that of Bill O’Reilly. For decades, he helped shape Fox into what it is today and hosted the top-rated show on cable news. But in April 2017, The New York Times reported that Fox News and O’Reilly had been settling sexual harassment lawsuits with women for years.
Television advertisers quickly began pulling out of The O’Reilly Factor. As this scandal was unfolding, O’Reilly announced that he would take a vacation that he had previously scheduled. Fox News soon said that O’Reilly would not return from that vacation.
O’Reilly now engages in political commentary on his website BillOReilly.com, but it does not appear that he will ever return to cable news.
Next: This former host was fired for allegedly sending unsolicited nude photos to female colleagues. 
2. Eric Bolling
Eric Bolling | Fox News
In 2007, Eric Bolling was hired as a financial analyst for the Fox Business Network. He later moved to The Five, where he was one of the main faces of the program for years. Bolling was a big enough player at Fox News that he often filled in for Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor, including when O’Reilly was on vacation but had not yet been fired.
When the network decided to move The Five to 9:00 p.m., they created a new show for Bolling and two co-hosts called The Fox News Specialists. But only about three months into that show, The Huffington Post reported that Bolling had sexually harassed female colleagues at Fox News, sending unsolicited nude photographs and making inappropriate comments that made women uncomfortable.
Bolling denied the story. But in September, he was fired by Fox News.
3. Bob Beckel
Bob Beckel | Noam Galai/Getty Images
Former co-host of The Five Bob Beckel got himself into hot water on Fox News quite a few times, accidentally cursing on live television on numerous occasions. In 2015, the network fired him and cited his “personal issues,” as he had become addicted to prescription drugs.
In 2017, they hired him back as a host of The Five. But his return didn’t last long, as four months later, he was fired again. This time, it was because he had allegedly made a racist remark to a fellow employee off the air. According to The Los Angeles Times, Beckel stormed out of his office when he found out the person coming to fix his computer was black.
Beckel has never returned to the network, although he continues to offer his political opinions on Twitter.
Next: This host says she was fired for turning down the sexual advances of the network’s chairman. 
4. Gretchen Carlson
Gretchen Carlson | Astrid Stawiarz/Stringer
TV host Gretchen Carlson joined Fox News in 2005, serving as an anchor of Fox & Friends. She remained in that position for 11 years. Carlson, Steve Doocy, and Brian Kilmeade became the iconic trio of hosts that started every day (and that Donald Trump watched religiously). But in July 2016, Carlson announced that she was no longer with Fox News.
Carlson alleged that she had been fired because she turned down the sexual advances of the network’s chairman, Roger Ailes. She filed a lawsuit against him immediately, according to Politico. Carlson’s lawsuit prompted more women to come forward and allege that Ailes had sexually harassed them. This led to Ailes’ resignation.
Fox News ultimately settled with Carlson, reportedly for $20 million.
Next: This Fox host also says she was fired for turning down Roger Ailes’ sexual advances.
5. Andrea Tantaros
Andrea Tantaros | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
In 2010, Andrea Tantaros joined Fox News, becoming one of the co-hosts of The Five after only a year with the network. In 2014, she was moved to Outnumbered. But in April 2016, she was unceremoniously removed from the channel. Tantaros later said that she was fired after complaining about being sexually harassed by Ailes.
She told New York Magazine that after complaining about Ailes multiple times, she was demoted and then taken off the air entirely. Fox News claimed, however, that she was taken off the air because she violated company policy by not allowing the network to vet her book prior to its publication. They were apparently unhappy with the cover, which showed her being tied up by ropes.
Later, she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the network, saying that Bill O’Reilly and others also sexually harassed her. Needless to say, she never returned to Fox News.
Next: Another Fox News employee who says she was fired for complaining about sexual harassment 
6. Rudi Bakhtiar
Rudi Bakhtiar | YouTube
After spending 10 years with CNN, Rudi Bakhtiar joined Fox News in 2006 as a correspondent. But a year later, she was fired. In 2016, New York Magazine reported that Bakhtiar complained about being sexually harassed by a co-worker, Washington bureau chief Brian Wilson.
This came after Bakhtiar said she had already been sexually harassed by Ailes. She says that after denying Wilson’s advances, she was reassigned. After complaining about the sexual harassment and saying that she was being punished for the incident with Wilson, she was fired from the network.
John Moody, the executive vice president of Fox News, said she was just fired for being a bad reporter.
Next: This correspondent says he was fired because his sister spoke out about sexual harassment.
7. John Huddy
John Ruddy | Fox News
In October 2017, Fox News fired its correspondent John Huddy Jr. Huddy was known for reporting from Jerusalem. At the time, Fox News said they fired him after investigating a “physical altercation earlier this month.”
But Huddy immediately said in an interview that no such altercation took place. He also said he only found out this was the justification for his firing by reading that in the news. Instead, he claimed that he was fired because his sister, Juliet Huddy, had spoken out about allegedly being sexually harassed by O’Reilly.
Huddy was fired on the same day that his sister was interviewed by Megyn Kelly about sexual harassment at Fox News.
Next: This contributor says he was fired for being wrong in his election prediction
8. Dick Morris
Dick Morris | YouTube
After a lengthy career in politics that included serving in the Clinton Administration, Dick Morris began working as a political commentator. He was hired by Fox News, regularly popping up on shows like The O’Reilly Factor.
In 2012, Morris confidently predicted that Mitt Romney would be elected president, and a few months later, Fox News decided not to renew his contract. Morris soon said that Fox News had fired him specifically because he was wrong in his election prediction.
“I was fired because I was wrong,” he said. “I was wrong and I was wrong at the top of my lungs.”
Next: This contributor was fired after numerous controversial statements. 
9. Stacey Dash
Stacey Dash | Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Actress Stacey Dash is known primarily for starring as Dionne Davenport, the best friend character, in the 1995 comedy Clueless. She says that she voted for Barack Obama in 2008, but in 2012, she announced that she would be voting for Mitt Romney. She started to become more politically outspoken after that. In 2014, Fox News hired her as a contributor.
During her time at Fox, she made a number of controversial statements, including saying live on air that Obama doesn’t “give a sh*t” about terrorism. This got her suspended for two weeks. She also said around the time of the Oscars So White movement that Black History Month should be abolished and accused Black Entertainment Television of lying to black people.
Dash wasn’t fired in a dramatic fashion, but the network quietly decided not to renew her contract.
Next: This liberal commentator says being fired from Fox News is a “badge of honor.”  
10. Marc Lamont Hill
Marc Lamont Hill | Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET Networks
Former contributor Marc Lamont Hill joined the Fox News Channel in 2007. For two years, he provided a liberal perspective on shows like The O’Reilly Factor, and he often argued with O’Reilly, especially on race issues.
According to The Huffington Post, Hill had been targeted for what critics described as sympathies towards controversial figures. At a meeting in 2010, Rupert Murdoch was asked about Hill’s “reputation of defending cop killers and racists,” and Murdoch announced that Hill was no longer working for the network.
In a 2017 interview, Hill said that he “got fired, fortunately” from Fox and joked that he considered it to be a “badge of honor.” He also said that he found out he was fired by Fox when The Hollywood Reporter reached out to him and asked how he felt about being fired.
Next: This contributor was fired after accusing Donald Trump’s campaign manager of battery. 
11. Michelle Fields
Michelle Fields | Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Glamour
In 2014, Michelle Fields became a contributor for Fox News, appearing as a guest on shows like Fox & Friends, Hannity, The O’Reilly Factor, and Cashin’ In. She also became a political reporter at Breitbart the following year. In March 2016, she accused Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, of aggressively grabbing her while she was trying to ask a question.
She subsequently filed a police report against Lewandowski, alleging simple battery. Fields subsequently resigned from Breitbart, saying that the company had not “stood by me during the events of the past week.” Editor-at-Large Ben Shapiro also resigned for the same reason.
At the same time, Fox News announced that Fields would not be appearing on Cashin’ In for the time being, though a Fox spokesperson said this was a mutual decision. The network said she would simply be appearing less frequently now, but Fields never returned to the show.
Next: This contributor was fired not long after Roger Ailes left the network. 
12. Bo Dietl
Bo Dietl | Rob Kim/Getty Images
Former New York City Police Department detective Bo Dietl joined Fox News as a contributor in 2010. He was fired from Fox News in August 2016.
At the time, it was reported that Dietl had been on thin ice ever since Roger Ailes had left the network, with the rumor being that the main reason Dietl was hired was to help Ailes wage war against his enemies and accusers. Dietl later said that Fox did use him in order to get information on Gretchen Carlson and Andrea Mackris, both of whom were complaining of harassment at Fox.
The New York Daily News also reported that Dietl was fired soon after he clashed off air with fellow contributor Jehmu Greene.
Next: This host was fired as the network took his show in a different direction. 
13. Eric Burns
Eric Burns | YouTube
From 1997 through 2008, Eric Burns hosted Fox News Watch, a debate show on Fox which would focus on media bias, with the panelists debating whether stories were fairly portrayed in the media. In 2008, Burns was fired from the network. This was not due to a scandal, but because Fox evidently wanted to take the show in a different direction and focus on other media sources like the internet.
A spokesperson told The New York Times that they didn’t think “the current talent would be capable of handling the new direction.” The show was replaced by MediaBuzz, which is currently hosted by Howard Kurtz and which discusses the way stories are portrayed in the media, including on the internet.
Next: This radio host says she was fired after complaining about treatment at Fox News. 
14. Jessica Golloher
Jessica Golloher | YouTube
Reporter Jessica Golloher served as a Fox News Radio correspondent until April 2017, when she was informed the network would not be renewing her contract. Golloher alleged that she was told of this decision less than 24 hours after she asked to speak to the network’s independent investigator about issues at Fox.
She subsequently decided to sue the network for discrimination and retaliation, saying that she was fired because she reached out to the investigator, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She also alleged that she had been discriminated against due to her gender.
Next: This regular guest stopped getting booked after accusing a host of rape. 
15. Scottie Nell Hughes
Scottie Nell Hughes | Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images
Technically, Scottie Nell Hughes was never a Fox News employee, but she appeared frequently on many of the network’s programs. In September 2017, Hughes accused Fox Business host Charles Payne of rape.
She also said that she was pressured into engaging in a sexual relationship with Payne in exchange for career advancement. Hughes told The New York Times that after she ended her relationship with Payne, Fox News blacklisted her. She has not appeared on the network since then.
Fox briefly suspended Payne after Hughes’ rape allegation, but he returned to the network in September 2017.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/fox-news-stars-who-got-abruptly-fired.html/?a=viewall