Fox News host Bill O’Reilly was ousted Wednesday amid allegations of sexual harassment.
In a memo to employees, top execs at parent company 21st Century Fox said the “decision follows an extensive review done in collaboration with outside counsel.”
“After a thorough and careful review of allegations against him, the Company and Bill O’Reilly have agreed that Mr. O’Reilly will not return to the Fox News Channel,” the statement said.
The statement expressed “full confidence that the network will continue to be a powerhouse in cable news,” adding: “Lastly, and most importantly, we want to underscore our commitment to fostering a work environment built on the values of trust and respect.”
It was signed by Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch, who is also executive chairman of News Corp., which owns the New York Post.
In a statement posted on his website, O’Reilly said he was “extremely proud” of his time at Fox News, which he said “significantly contributed to building Fox into the dominant news network in television.”
“It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims,” O’Reilly said.
“But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today.”
“The O’Reilly Factor” — long the top-rated show on cable TV news — will be replaced at 8 p.m. by Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show.
Carlson’s current 9 p.m. slot will be filled by the panel talk show “The Five,” which will be replaced at 5 p.m. with a new show hosted by Eric Bolling, now a co-host of “The Five” and a frequent fill-in host on “The Factor.”
O’Reilly had worked for Fox News since its 1996 launch, and the end of his career there came the same day the official Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, photographed him shaking hands with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square.
Earlier this month, O’Reilly was the subject of a New York Times report that detailed how he and Fox News paid about $13 million to settle complaints from five women who had worked for him or appeared on his show.
In a statement to the Times, O’Reilly said he was “vulnerable to lawsuits” due to his prominence, and had “put to rest any controversies to spare my children.”