Fox News is reportedly planning to replace the recently departed Tucker Carlson with longtime host Sean Hannity at the coveted 8 pm EST timeslot, The Post Millennial reported.
Fox News to replace Tucker Carlson with longtime host Sean Hannity at 8pm primetime
According to the Drudge Report, Hannity, who has been a regular presence following Carlson’s show for years, is reportedly set to take over the highly sought-after 8 pm EST time slot. The report stated that Fox News is promoting its new evening lineup as its “boldest and most fearless” to date.
“FOXNEWS is preparing to announce an ambitious new schedule, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, a schedule where ever hour of primetime will change!”
Despite these reports, it should be noted that nothing has been finalized yet. A spokesperson from Fox News stated that “no decision has been made on a new primetime line-up, and there are multiple scenarios under consideration.”
In addition to Hannity’s potential move, Jesse Watters, the current host of Jesse Watters PrimeTime at 7 pm EST, and Greg Gutfeld, who hosts the Gutfeld! talk show at 11 pm EST, are also expected to switch slots.
Speculation surrounds primetime lineup: Jesse Watters’ potential succession and network’s strategic direction
Gutfeld’s late-night program has experienced considerable success with viewers and has expanded the network’s opinion block from 7 pm to midnight. Watters’s show might be viewed as a natural successor to Carlson due to his right-leaning perspective and prior appearances at 8 pm on Bill O’Reilly’s show, according to Variety.
However, insiders familiar with Fox News suggest that while Watters has performed strongly in the 7 pm slot he started anchoring in 2022, he may not be Carlson’s successor.
Just last week, Lachlan Murdoch, CEO of Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News, indicated that there were no plans to alter the network’s current strategic direction, emphasizing its success during an investor call discussing the company’s recent earnings report.
In the past, the Fox News primetime grid remained relatively unchanged, with consistent weeknight appearances from hosts like O’Reilly, Hannity, and Greta Van Susteren. Carlson took over the 9 pm slot in 2017 and moved to an earlier hour following O’Reilly’s departure.
