(Le Floridien) — Longtime CNN host and anchor Don Lemon has been fired by the network on Monday.
Lemon announced the news on Twitter, saying he was informed by his agent that he was being terminated.
The the stunning departure of Lemon is a surprise move that came only minutes after Fox News parted ways with its star host, Tucker Carlson.
The longtime veteran host was chastised recently for on-air comments about the “prime” age of Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley and other women.
In February during a segment on “CNN This Morning”, Lemon remarked that the Republican presidential candidate Haley, 51, was no longer in her “prime.” The comment was made while discussing a suggestion by Haley that candidates over the age of 75 should be subjected to mental competency exams.
The news comes after Variety published a story earlier this month on allegations that he mistreated his female colleagues over the course of his career there. And earlier this year, he faced backlash over widely criticized comments he made on-air.
Lemon has been with CNN since 2006, joining the network after anchoring at NBC Chicago and working as a correspondent for NBC News, the “TODAY” show and “NBC Nightly News.”
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” Lemon said. “When a woman is considered to be in her prime — in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”
When pushed by co-anchor Poppy Harlow, Lemon told her not to “shoot the messenger.”
Licht told employees that Lemon agreed to partake in training following public backlash to his comments. He also told Semafor earlier this month that both CNN and Lemon have “moved on” from the issue.
“Don Lemon is a lightning rod because he really came to prominence during an era where that was celebrated and encouraged in prime time,” Licht said.
“I am stunned,” Lemon wrote. “After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly.”
CNN CEO Chris Licht said that the network and Lemon have “parted ways,” according to a memo provided to NBC News Monday.
“Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” the statement said. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
