Tucker Carlson leaving Fox News

Fox News host Tucker Carlson is leaving the network, the cable TV network announced Monday.

Carlson's last show on the network was Friday. Starting Monday, "Fox News Tonight" will air in place of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," which had been one of the network's top prime-time shows since its 2016 launch. 

"Fox News Tonight" will be led by rotating Fox contributors until a new host is named, the network said.

"We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor," Fox News also said about Carlson's departure.

It is unclear why Carlson is parting ways with the network, but people familiar with the matter told The Los Angeles Times that Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch ordered the host to be fired.

Carlson's departure from the network is related to former producer Abby Grossberg's discrimination lawsuit, the sources also said.

Grossberg claimed in her lawsuit that while working for "Tucker Carlson Tonight," she endured "a work environment that subjugated women based on vile sexist stereotypes" and that Carlson made "derogatory comments towards women."

Carlson's program was the top-rated cable news show in the United States, according to Adweek.

However, the breakup follows a protracted legal battle between the top-rated cable TV network and Dominion Voting Systems in which Carlson was a central figure.

Emails and messages made public in the case – settled last week in a Wilmington, Delaware, court – revealed Carlson being conflicted over having guests on his show arguing the 2020 presidential election was rigged and that Dominion voting machines were involved. 

He was also critical in emails but at least one reporter on the news side of the network, reporting dismissively on air about the allegations, arguing the reporter was damaging the company's profitability. 

The emails also revealed Carlson's private dislike for former President Trump, who is now the front-running 2024 GOP presidential nominee. 

Fox settled with Dominion for $787.5 million in a deal in which the network did not have to apologize.

Fox Corporation's stock dropped more than 4% Monday after the announcement.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.