Was Tucker Carlson caught off guard by Fox News exit? His final show would suggest so

Tucker Carlson’s sudden departure from Fox News appears to have caught the host himself off guard – based on comments made during his final show on Friday.

The right-wing network made a shock announcement on Monday that it had “agreed to part ways” with its top primetime host with immediate effect, with his last programme being on Friday.

“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the network said in a statement shared with The Independent.

“We thank him for his service as a host and prior to that as a contributor.

“Mr Carlson’s last programme was Friday April 21st. Fox News Tonight will air live at 8pm starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating Fox News personalities until a new host is named.”

Fox News offered no explanation for the sudden exit of one of its biggest hosts – though it came just days after the network agreed to pay $787m to Dominion Voting Systems over election lies the software company claimed were pushed on Carlson’s and other personality’s shows.

Based on Carlson’s final ever appearance on his primetime show, he also didn’t seem to see it coming.

Closing out his show on Friday, the right-wing commentator cheerily told viewers that “we’ll be back on Monday”.

“What a great way to the end the week,” he said of his last segment.

“That’s it for us for the week, we’ll be back... We’ll be back on Monday – in the meantime have the best weekend with the ones you love. See you then.”