Elisabeth Hasselbeck is leaving Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends.
In the network’s announcement, Hasselbeck said she’s leaving to devote more time to raising her three children; she will continue to host until late next month. Hasselbeck joined Fox News in 2013 after filling the conservative role on the panel of ABC’s daytime talker The View. After her exit, Fox & Friends said it will use rotating co-hosts to fill the void for the time being.
In today’s announcement Hasselbeck said, “Oftentimes, the most difficult decisions are between two great things.” She said in her statement that she’d told FNC Chairman/CEO Roger Ailes “that I am entering into a season where I want to start my day with my children first, and he offered his blessing to do so.”
“With a heart full of gratitude and the peace that God has given me, I am confident that this personal decision is the right one for our family,” Hasselbeck said. (Their full statements below)
One year ago this month, Hasselbeck returned to Fox And Friends after taking a month off due to “a bit of a scare,” she said, adding she had the “blessing of it not being cancer.”
The former Survivor contestant previously spent a decade on The View, leaving in July of ’13, joining fellow panelist Joy Behar and show creator Barbara Walters who left not too long thereafter.
“We have had ten wonderful years with Elisabeth and she will now be swimming in new waters,” Babs said announcing Hasselbeck’s exit from that show – four month after Babs used her show to denounce the “particularly false story that keeps getting picked up about Elisabeth’s alleged departure” when non-false word of Hasselbeck’s exit first got out. “We have no plans for Elisabeth to leave the show,” former journalist Babs scolded.
In her first full month co-hosting Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends, Elisabeth Hasselbeck averaged 1,226,000 viewers, with 289,000 of them in the 25-54 news demo. That was up 16% in total viewers and 22% in the demo compared to third-quarter 2013.
Statements by Hasselbeck and Ailes:
Hasselbeck: “Oftentimes, the most difficult decisions are between two great things. Throughout my 14 years working in television, I have never experienced a more positive and thoughtful atmosphere than FOX News Channel, thanks to the strong leadership of (FOX News Chairman & CEO) Roger Ailes, who has created the best working environment a woman and mother could ask for. His understanding, compassion, and kindness was exemplified when I shared with him that I am entering into a season where I want to start my day with my children first, and he offered his blessing to do so. With a heart full of gratitude and the peace that God has given me, I am confident that this personal decision is the right one for our family, and we will be joining all of you watching Fox & Friends each morning as we get ready for school together.”
Ailes: “Elisabeth and I discussed this at length over several weeks, and while I would love for her to continue here, I respect her incredibly difficult, yet deeply personal decision. She has been a great addition to the Fox & Friends franchise.”
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