NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Two months after Tucker Carlson vacated the primetime slot, Fox News announced that he will be replaced by Jesse Watters who is one of the popular hosts of the conservative cable network and is now set to take up the new role. On Monday, June 25, Fox News issued a statement confirming the rest of the changes to the network's primetime broadcast lineup.
Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott wrote their network "has been America’s destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years and we are thrilled to debut a new lineup." The 7.00 pm ET slot will have Laura Ingraham's show while the 9.00 pm ET slot will still have Sean Hannity's show. The late-night broadcast of Greg Gutfeld has been moved to 10.00 pm ET, according to the Daily Mail.
Who is Jesse Watters?
Watters, a conservative political commentator is currently the Fox News host of the 7.00 pm opinion program 'Jesse Watters Primetime' which has had a viewership of 2.6 million since the beginning of the year. The 44-year-old is also the co-host of one of the network's most-viewed shows 'The Five'.
In 2002, Watters began his career as a production assistant at Fox News just after he graduated. He went on to develop a place of his own in the network through his interviews.
In 2018, following his affair with Emma DiGiovine, a producer of his show, Watters ended his marriage with Noelle Inguagiato with whom he shares twin daughters. He married DiGiovine in 2019 and the couple share a son. The host is one of the dedicated defenders of former President Donald Trump and is a leading voice of the conservative culture.
Watter's controversial on-air behavior
Watter's on-air behavior and comments have made him the center of many controversies. In 2021, Dr Anthony Fauci said that Watters should be fired from the network following his use of the phrase "kill shot" in a speech where he asked young conservative activists to come forward to throw tough questions at the public health leader. The network claimed the host's words had been taken out of context.
After a series of interviews Watters conducted with the American people of Chinatown in New York City in 2016, many critics found his interviews racist. Following the criticism, activists and elected officials protested outside the Fox News headquarters. Watters then broke his silence and took to Twitter to address the issue where he wrote, "I regret if anyone found offense."
Carlson is set to launch a new show on Twitter
On April 24, Fox News dismissed their leading prime-time host Carlson who is known for his conspiratorial rhetoric and his right-wing views. Following his exit, the 54-year-old host launched a new show on Twitter. The shocking news of Fox News parting ways with the host was announced just days after it attempted to avert a high-stakes defamation suit by paying nearly $800 million to Dominion Voting Systems.
