The Fox News Channel has tapped commentator Jesse Watters to take over the time slot vacated by former host Tucker Carlson in April, the network announced on Monday.
The promotion is part of a prime-time shuffle that will see Fox News debut with a new line-up of programming, starting July 17. As part of the change, Laura Ingraham will move her show to 7 p.m. Eastern, while Greg Gutfeld’s program moves to 10 p.m. Eastern.
Watters takes the 8 p.m. time slot that was vacated by Carlson after he was effectively fired by the network in connection with disparaging text messages and emails in April.
“Fox News Channel has been America’s destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years, and we are thrilled to debut a new lineup,” Suzanne Scott, the CEO of Fox News Media, said in a statement. “The unique perspectives of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld will ensure our viewers have access to unrivaled coverage from our best-in-class team for years to come.”
Watters’ new program will be called “Jesse Watters Primetime,” and will replace “Fox News Tonight,” which had been airing since Carlson’s departure. Trace Gallagher will conclude Fox’s evening programming with “Fox News @ Night,” a news recap show that will also serve as a prime-time news hour for viewers on the West Coast.
Watters has spent the bulk of his television news career at Fox News, starting as a production assistant shortly after graduating from Trinity College in the early 2000s. In 2003, he shifted to the role of producer at “The O’Reilly Factor,” hosted by Bill O’Reilly in the same 8 p.m. time slot that Watters now occupies.
He transitioned to an on-air role in 2014, first appearing on the program “Outnumbered,” then hosting his own show called “Watters’ World.” Watters moved over to the political and current events panel show “The Five” in 2017, which quickly became the highest-rated show on the network.
