Geraldo Rivera Announces Departure from Fox News After Being “Fired” from “The Five”
Fox News correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera took to Twitter on Thursday to announce that he was leaving the conservative network, citing that he had been “fired” from his co-hosting gig on “The Five.” Rivera, who has been with Fox since 2001, tweeted, “Bumpy day on the North Atlantic. Anyway, I got fired from @TheFive, so I quit Fox. After 23 years, tomorrow Fox and Friends could be my last appearance on the network. Thanks for the memories.”
In a video included in the tweet, Rivera stated that he would not be appearing on “The Five” this week as he had been “fired” from the program. He had previously announced that his final appearances on the show would be on June 29 and 30 after revealing he would no longer be one of the rotating “liberal” co-hosts.
After sharing the tweet, Rivera clarified to The Daily Beast that his tweet “sums it up” and that he harbors no ill feelings towards anyone. He expressed excitement for his next adventure.
This announcement comes just days after Rivera uploaded a shirtless selfie on Twitter, indicating that he was contemplating retirement. He also mentioned at the time that he was uncertain about his next career move and would announce on “The Five” whether he would stay at Fox or pursue a different path.
In response to Rivera’s departure, Fox News released a statement saying, “We reached an amicable conclusion with Geraldo over the past few weeks and look forward to celebrating him tomorrow on Fox & Friends, which will be his last appearance on the network.”
Rivera had previously stated that it was his decision to leave “The Five,” although he acknowledged that there had been growing tension that extended beyond editorial differences and personal conflicts. Approaching his 80th birthday, he explained that the show had become too personal for him and that it was no longer worth it.
Last month, Rivera revealed that he had been “canceled” from future broadcasts of “The Five” and mentioned that there must have been a valid reason for the decision. Sources within Fox News suggested that co-host Greg Gutfeld was likely responsible for Rivera’s reduced appearances and May cancellations, but others debunked this claim, stating that Rivera was not scheduled to appear in the first place.
In his interview with the Associated Press, Rivera disclosed that he had been suspended by Fox News multiple times, including as recently as last month. This coincided with his criticism of former Fox News star Tucker Carlson, Gutfeld’s response, and his subsequent canceled appearances on “The Five” in early May.
Rivera’s appearances on “The Five” had significantly declined in recent months, despite being regarded as one of the show’s regular “liberal” panelists. According to a transcript search, he had not been on the program since May 24 and had only made a few appearances prior to openly expressing his concerns about being sidelined.
Rivera’s involvement with “The Five” began last year when he was named one of the three rotating co-hosts to replace Juan Williams, the show’s longtime progressive panelist who left earlier. At the time, sources suggested that Gutfeld played a role in Williams’ departure due to their frequent on-air disagreements. However, this claim was not confirmed.