When the news broke that popular conservative host Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox, his millions of fans were stunned. In the same week, long-time CNN host Don Lemon was also fired.
The reasons behind both firings remain a little murky as rumors continue to swirl. But in the meantime, replacements will be needed.
And Tucker’s replacement – at least on a temporary basis – will be a name that most right-wingers recognize.
She was part of former President Donald Trump’s administration and has remained a vocal advocate of conservative values. She has also called out the Biden administration on several occasions.
In that way, Fox News anchor Kayleigh McEnany seems to be the perfect stand-in for Tucker Carlson.
After Carlson was let go, the network has been running “Fox News Tonight” with hosts Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones. Now it looks like McEnany will assume the helm for at least the next week.
That 8 p.m. slot will be Kayleigh’s, and she had this to say on Twitter:
I am honored to share that I will be hosting Fox News Tonight on @FoxNews at 8pm ET all next week (5/8-5/12)! Set your DVR.
Please join me next week as we dig into the state of politics, media, culture, and faith in America!https://t.co/8JtJZwo9zf
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) May 4, 2023
If you’re not familiar, McEnany is currently hosting “Outnumbered” at Fox. But before that, she was the White House press secretary under Trump, and two apparently got on rather well.
She also might be able to bring the ratings back up after Carlson left.
That replacement program, “Fox News Tonight,” fell in the ratings among the critical 25-54 demographic the first night it aired. It averaged about 2.6 million viewers, while Tucker saw around 3.7 million.
Even with substitutes, though, the show managed to top MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes.”
Tucker Carlson had the top-rated show in the 25-54 audience, and overall had the second-highest ratings behind Sean Hannity’s primetime show between 2017 and 2020. It even pulled in one of the highest ratings ever in cable news history.
So, it stands to reason that Fox would lose some viewers after ditching one of their top dogs.
Many conservatives swore off Fox News after Tucker was fired, though it seems clear that plenty of viewers are still tuning in. And Kayleigh McEnany might be a pretty big draw.
McEnany has remained quite popular among right-wing voters around the country, and she could make a significant splash next week.
Key Takeaways:
- Former Trump press secretary and current Fox News anchor Kayleigh McEnany will replace Tucker Carlson next week.
- McEnany said she’s “honored” to host Fox News Tonight in place of Tucker’s show.
- The replacement show has fallen in the ratings after Carlson left, but McEnany could give it a boost.
Source: The Daily Caller
