Fox News announced on Monday that host Jesse Watters will take over the 8 p.m. timeslot that was vacated after host Tucker Carlson was ousted last month.
The new primetime lineup will include Laura Ingraham at 7 p.m., Watters at 8 p.m., Sean Hannity at 9 p.m., Greg Gutfeld at 10 p.m. and Trace Gallagher hosting the 11 p.m. news hour.
“Fox News Channel has been America’s destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years and we are thrilled to debut a new lineup,” said Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott. “The unique perspectives of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld will ensure our viewers have access to unrivaled coverage from our best-in-class team for years to come.”
Carlson’s show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight," had been the highest-rated program on cable news in the younger 25-54 demo for the first quarter of this year, averaging 3.2 million viewers. But when news broke that Carlson and Fox News had agreed to “part ways” with an undisclosed settlement related to a lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, Fox Corp saw its stock plummet $1 billion.
Since joining Fox News in 2002, Watters has successfully launched a career as a correspondent for “The O’Reilly Factor” and the co-host of “The Five,” which is now the channel’s highest-rated program. In 2017, he also became the host of “Watters’ World” on Saturday nights.
As Fox News moves forward without its outgoing star, the channel is confidently banking on the talents of Watters in the 8 p.m. hour. Scott stated, “Jesse has been a valuable part of our team for more than a decade. He has an incredible talent in hosting political discussions and his passion and insight are why viewers trust him as an active and engaging opinionator.”
Watters will have huge shoes to fill, but Fox News is confident he's up to the challenge. “Jesse Watters is an important part of the Fox News primetime lineup. His unscripted approach to the news headlines makes him uniquely qualified to take on this role,” said Fox News Channel president Jay Wallace.
It remains to be seen if Watters can bring the same level of ratings Carlson had, but Fox News is banking on Watters’ charismatic energy and wit to carry the primetime hour into the future.
Just in: Fox News overhauls primetime
Laura Ingraham at 7p
Jesse Watters takes over Tucker timeslot at 8
Hannity at 9
Greg Gutfeld moves to 10
Trace Gallagher does news hour at 11p— Brian Steinberg (@bristei) June 26, 2023