The Day After Bill Barr Meets With Murdoch, Shep Smith Announces He's Leaving Fox (Updated)

By Susie Madrak — October 11, 2019

Via the Hollywood Reporter, some shocking news: The Fox News burr under Trump's saddle is leaving! And not as voluntarily as they make it sound -- rumor is that he was told to stop calling out Tucker Carlson:

In a shocking turn of events that stunned the media industry, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith announced his departure from the network after more than 23 years on Friday afternoon.

Smith is one of the faces of the network's news division and one of its most important journalistic assets. The decision was Smith's, Fox News said.

"Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter," Smith said. "After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged. The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many. It’s been an honor and a privilege to report the news each day to our loyal audience in context and with perspective, without fear or favor. I’ve worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I’m proud to have anchored their work each day — I will deeply miss them.”

The 3 p.m. hour on Fox News will be hosted by "a series of rotating anchors ... until a new dayside news program is announced," the network said.

Everyone in the business seems stunned:

Shep Smith cared deeply about having a newscast on Fox that countered the opinion shows that dominate the network. He felt he was doing something critically important. Now he's suddenly walking away. And we haven't heard the half of it yet.

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 11, 2019

Two weeks ago Fox News execs sided with Tucker Carlson in a spat between him & Shep Smith.

They told Smith if he continued calling out Carlson's rhetoric for what it was, he would be off the air.

Today Smith abruptly stepped down. pic.twitter.com/qVwARixH6W

— jordan (@JordanUhl) October 11, 2019

he apparently had to agree not to report or appear anywhere else as part of being allowed to leave fox. fox is weird. https://t.co/MXCdfyRkJA via @TPM

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 11, 2019

Smith signed off his newscast saying, "Even in our current polarized nation, it is my hope that the facts will win the day, that the truth will always matter, that journalism and journalists will thrive." https://t.co/9dZ95vwsrl

— CNN (@CNN) October 11, 2019

RE Shep Smith abruptly quitting Fox News: This should put to rest the myth that Fox News has an actual news side. It doesn’t. This is Sean Hannity’s network now and will be (until we force a larger change).

— Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) October 11, 2019

Shep Smith, right now pic.twitter.com/Mvr6oB0fES

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 11, 2019

.@ShepNewsTeam is leaving Fox News. I am feeling the same celebratory joy as when a Handmaid is able to escape Gilead and live in freedom.#Shep https://t.co/UryS4DcwAH

— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) October 11, 2019

Bill Barr meets Rupert Murdoch at his home in NY and within 24 hours Shep Smith is giving his final broadcast. That totally must be a coincidence...

— Cliff Schecter (@cliffschecter) October 11, 2019

UPDATE: We're being told there was no relationship between Barr's visit to Rupert and Shep's departure.

NEW: The Barr-Murdoch meeting was *not* related to Shep Smith's exit, Chris Giglio, a spokesman for Shep, tells me via email. "This was Shep's decision and his alone."

— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) October 11, 2019