Jesse Watters host of “The Five” interviews Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush during “The Five” at Fox News Studios on November 13, 2017 in New York City.
John Lamparski | Getty Images
Fox News has named Jesse Watters the newest star of its primetime slot at 8 p.m. ET as the network looks set to boost ratings two months after removing Tucker Carlson.
Watters, who rose through the ranks from production assistant to one of the most popular faces on the network, has established himself as one of Fox News’ leading conservative voices. He is currently the host of the 7 p.m. opinion show ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ and regularly appears on ‘The Five’, one of Fox News’ top-rated programs.
As part of the show’s overnight shake-up, Laura Ingraham’s show begins its primetime programming block at 7 p.m., while Sean Hannity’s segment remains in the 9 p.m. slot. Greg Gutfield’s comedy schedule is moved to 10 p.m
“FOX News Channel has been America’s destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years and we are excited to introduce a new lineup,” Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement. press release. “The unique perspectives of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity and Greg Gutfeld will ensure our viewers have access to unparalleled coverage from our best-in-class team for years to come.”
The move comes as Fox News’ primetime ratings have suffered since Carlson’s abrupt departure in April.
The right-wing host was ousted the week after its parent company Fox Corp. agreed to spend $787.5 million to settle Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit. There was no goodbye for Carlson and his “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” which had long been one of Fox’s most-watched shows.
Fox’s ratings at 8 p.m. took a noticeable dip in the wake of Carlson’s departure, and upstart networks like Newsmax reaped the rewards in subsequent weeks.
Carlson has since started his own show on Twitter. While Carlson has posted videos on Twitter, he has yet to publicly state why he was fired from Fox. His departure was reportedly a result of vulgar behind-the-scenes reports unearthed during the discovery process in the Dominion trial.
Meanwhile, Fox News has since sent a cease and desist letter to Carlson, alleging breach of contract by launching a new show on the social media platform, NBC News previously reported.