ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

'Shell-shocked' Neil Cavuto reacts on-air to Shep Smith leaving Fox News, saying he doesn't know 'what the heck' the anchor is going to do next

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto was left stunned and "shell-shocked" by Fox News Chief Anchor Shepherd Smith's unexpected announcement that he would be leaving the network after 23 years.

Neil Cavuto
  • On Friday, Smith blindsided his colleagues when he revealed his Friday show would be his last, and he would be stepping down from his position altogether, which he held since Fox News' launch in 1996.
  • "Whoa. I'm Neil Cavuto and like you, I'm a little stunned and a little heartbroken," he said at the beginning of his broadcast. "I don't know what to say."
  • He added: "I'm sorry if I'm a little shell-shocked here but I'm going to miss my buddy."
  • Visit Business Insider'shomepage for more stories.

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto was left stunned and "shell-shocked" by Fox News Chief Anchor Shepherd Smith's unexpected announcement that he would be leaving the network after 23 years.

On Friday, Smith shocked his viewers and colleagues when he revealed his Friday show would be his last and he would be stepping down from his position altogether, which he held since Fox News' launch in 1996.

"I am eternally grateful for the opportunity," Shepherd said of his time at Fox. "Recently, I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News. After initially requesting that I stay, they obliged ... this is my last newscast here. Thank you for watching today and over the decades."

ADVERTISEMENT

Cavuto, who hosts the 4-5 p.m. weekday hour on Fox News, appeared to be have been completely blindsided by Smith's announcement.

"Whoa. I'm Neil Cavuto and like you, I'm a little stunned and a little heartbroken," he said at the beginning of his broadcast. "I don't know what to say. Shepard Smith, as I said, just a few days ago on this very network, a decent human being, a heart as big as Texas. I didn't say Texas at the time, maybe just lower Manhattan. A better newsman you probably cannot find."

He added: "Shepherd, I don't know what the heck you are planning to do or where you will go but I just know you will be great at doing it, and you deserve the best that life has to offer. I'm sorry if I'm a little shell-shocked here but I'm going to miss my buddy. All right. Onto the news at hand as Shepard would say."

Fox White House correspondent John Roberts, reporting on Cavuto's show from the White House, also looked like he had gotten the wind knocked out of him by Smith's surprise announcement.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I want to get the read from John Roberts at the White House about all of this. John, I apologize for being a little shell-shocked on this other development here, but, uh, take it away," Cavuto said.

"I've just been trying to compile my thoughts, too, Neil. I walked out here to do the hit and suddenly got hit by a subway train, holy mackerel," Roberts responded.

Smith's announcement comes amid mounting tensions between Fox's news hosts, which include Smith and Cavuto who report objectively on the Trump administration, and the nighttime opinion hosts including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham, who are openly pro-Trump.

Smith and the other straight-news host at Fox News, Trump's favorite network, have frequently been on the receiving end of attacks from Trump throughout the administration, including a critical tweet yesterday.

ADVERTISEMENT

"With people like Andrew Napolitano, who wanted to be a Supreme Court Justice & I turned him down (he's been terrible ever since), Shep Smith, [Donna Brazile] (who gave Crooked Hillary the debate questions & got fired from CNN), & others, [Fox News] doesn't deliver for US anymore. It is so different than it used to be. Oh well, I'm President!"

See Also:

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT