Fox News host Juan Williams said Wednesday that he was leaving his longtime spot on “The Five,” the weekday afternoon chat show on which he had served as the liberal runaway of an otherwise reliably conservative quintet of hosts.
Mr Williams abruptly announced his exit at the end of the show on Wednesday, partially citing his battle with the coronavirus that he signed late last year.
“Covid taught me a lot of lessons,” Williams told viewers in brief remarks, adding that he would stay with Fox News as the chief political analyst in Washington, where he lives. “It’s been seven years since I’ve hosted this show every day. The show’s popularity has grown every year. So thank you very much. Many thanks to you the viewers. “
Fox News said it would fill Mr. Williams’ role with another liberal-minded commentator in order to maintain the show’s ideological makeup. Until then, a rotating group of replacement hosts will appear on “The Five”. Geraldo Rivera, a Fox News correspondent, and former representative Harold Ford Jr. have made guest appearances on the show’s “liberal” slot.
Among the hosts, Mr. Williams was often the only defender of Democratic politicians, and in recent years he has often been the only commentator who dared heavily criticize former President Donald J. Trump. His remarks met with violent recoil from his colleagues, including pro-Trump personalities Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters.
His tournament with peers was part of the show’s appeal, which is formatted as a sharp discussion of news and politics. But the Trump era gave the exchanges a tougher advantage.
For example, earlier this month, Mr Williams said on the air that Mr Trump “committed a lie that led to violence,” adding that the former president “damaged our country” with his false statements about a stolen election and the subsequent January 6 uprising in the Capitol.
Herr Gutfeld interrupted immediately. “That’s your opinion, Juan, that’s your opinion!” he cried. When Mr. Williams brought up Rep Liz Cheney’s overthrow from the Republican leadership of the House, Mr. Watters interjected, “Let’s just stop this, Juan.”
In a statement distributed by Fox News on Wednesday, Megan Albano, a network vice president responsible for The Five, described the exit as the election of Mr. Williams.
When Fox News made plans to bring The Five back to its New York studio after months of remote production because of the pandemic, “Juan decided to stay in Washington, DC permanently,” Ms. Albano wrote. “We complied with his request, understood and appreciated his desire to be closer to his family, and realized that a remote co-hosting role in a roundtable in-studio program was not a long-term option.”
After Mr Williams announced his exit on Wednesday, the program aired a tribute package of clips from his appearances over the years. Afterward, his co-host, Dana Perino, congratulated Mr. Williams (“It’s a real honor and a pleasure to work with you, Juan”) and encouraged him to appear on her own Fox News, America’s Newsroom.
Mr. Watters, who hosts the weekend show “Watters’ World”, spoke up.
“Maybe not ‘Watters’ World’,” he said to Mr. Williams, grinning. “But I will miss you.”
