Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways, the conservative media company said in a statement on Monday, less than a week after Fox settled a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million.
The settlement averted a trial putting one of the world’s top media companies in the crosshairs over its coverage of false vote-rigging claims in the 2020 U.S. election.
Carlson, who grew up in La Jolla, had been expected to testify in the trial. Dominion alleged that statements made on Carlson’s show after the 2020 election were defamatory and that messages between Carlson and his team were proof that he and his team knew the falsehood of claims that Dominion’s ballot-counting machines were used to manipulate the election in favor of Joe Biden.
Carlson’s last program was April 21, the company said in a statement. It said that “Fox News Tonight” will air live at 8 p.m. Eastern time starting Monday as an interim show helmed by rotating Fox News personalities until a new host is named.
In reaction to the news, the founder and CEO of San Diego-based One America News — itself being sued by Dominion Voting Systems — tweeted a request: “@RobHerring would like to extend an invitation to Carlson to meet for negotiation.”
Carlson spent part of his childhood, ages 6 to 14, living in La Jolla. He attended La Jolla Country Day School and told Times of San Diego in 2017 that he recalled swimming from La Jolla Shores to the cove.
“I had the happiest childhood of anyone I know,” Tucker said. “I’d credit La Jolla for a lot of that. It’s a wonderful place.”
His father, Dick Carlson, worked as an anchor on KFMB-TV (1975-1977) and as an executive with Great American Bank (1977-1983). After the elder Carlson ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Roger Hedgecock, the family moved to the East Coast.
Fox faces a second defamation lawsuit from another voting machine company, Smartmatic, which is seeking $2.7 billion in damages.
Reuters contributed to this article.