Don Lemon‘s former co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, read out a statement from CNN boss Chris Licht after the star claimed he found out he was fired through his agent.
Harlow and Collins opened CNN’s This Morning for the first time since he was removed from the company, and both thanked him for his ‘contributions over the past 17 years’.
They kept a neutral demeanor as they read Licht’s statement, before telling viewers that they were the ‘priority’ following the stars firing.
Starting out the show, they said that they want to ‘keep the focus on the news’ before adding: ‘We do begin with news about this show’.
Both then thanked Lemon, who posted a bitter statement on social media following his sacking, before saying: ‘We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors. ‘
Harlow and Collins opened CNN’s This Morning for the first time since Lemon was removed from the company
CNN anchor Don Lemon was fired from the network on Monday after months of controversy, and posted a bitter statement on social media shortly after the news broke
Collins, who Lemon famously clashed with during his time on the show, then added: ‘He was one of the first anchors to have me on his show. That’s something I’ll obviously never forget. We wish him the best.
Harlow then said: ‘Don was one of my first friends at CNN. I’m so thankful to have worked alongside him and for his support for nearly 15 years here and I wish him all good things ahead.’
Lemon’s shock firing came just hours after he waved goodbye to the viewers at 8:56am Monday morning.
The 57-year-old said in a statement: ‘I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly.
‘At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.
‘It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run.
‘They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.’
However CNN hit back at his claims that he was told through his agent, insisting that they invited him in for a meeting which he refused to attend.
The news anchor was seen shopping for a new phone with his partner Tim Malone in the hours after teh news broke
Collins, who Lemon famously clashed with during his time on the show, then added: ‘He was one of the first anchors to have me on his show. That’s something I’ll obviously never forget. We wish him the best’
CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing of Don Lemon on Monday, thanking him for his work over the past 17 years
Network CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing in an internal message, thanking Lemon for 17 years on air and telling staff he would ‘forever be a part of the CNN family.’
Licht added that he was ‘committed’ to the success of CNN This Morning, the flailing morning news show Lemon had been helming with Harlow and Collins.
Shortly after news of Lemon’s firing broke, a source told DailyMail.com ‘Don was given every indication when he made the fake a** apology for his disgusting comments and, still, no one wanted anything to do with him.’
They continued, ‘No one owes him anything. He should have had the decency to not be a misogynistic, sexist POS.’
‘Don truly believed he was going to always get a get out of jail free card because he is black and gay, which worked to his advantage until it couldn’t.’
‘It doesn’t matter what color you are or what your sexuality is. He lost the respect of all of the women on staff, and no one wanted to work with him.’
‘Even after this, he still acted no differently and would give the women he worked with attitude because he could sense that they felt a certain way still.
‘Good riddance and good luck getting a job elsewhere.’
Lemon waves goodbye at the end of CNN This Morning – a moment that would prove to be his final appearance as a CNN anchor after 17 years with the network
Don Lemon tweeted out his outrage that he had been fired from CNN on Monday afternoon
Former CNN host Don Lemon was seen with his partner in an Apple Store in New York hours after he was removed from his position as morning show host
Lemon was spotted with his partner, Tim Malone at an Apple Store in New York City appearing to look for a new phone hours after his firing.
The news anchor attempted to draw as little attention as possible by hiding his face behind a pair of dark sunglasses and a black baseball cap.
Lemon has been in hot water repeatedly with the network, with several allegations about his behavior towards women coming to the forefront.
Sources claimed before his sacking that he was ‘upset’ when he realised CNN bosses expected him to work alongside Collins and Harlow rather than as a solo operator.
Lemon reportedly ‘expressed unease’ with his new position after his 10pm show Don Lemon Tonight was axed amid a reshuffle at the network.
He was also ‘under the impression’ that his name would be included in the new morning show, which he was told was a ‘promotion’.
CNN Chairman Chris Licht pitched his new role as a positive, giving him a contract extension and a salary increase, with Lemon also publicly saying it was ‘not a demotion’.
Lemon was spotted together with his partner, Tim Malone as they could be seen looking at iPhones in the store
Lemon added: ‘For all of those who are out there saying, ‘Oh, he moved me, and without my input’—he asked me and I said yes. I could have said no.’
However, he was reportedly upset that his colleagues believed it was a step down for him, despite his insistence it was a promotion.
He has also clashed several times with White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins live on air, with the pair repeatedly talking over each other.
The incident resulted in a bust-up between the pair, with Lemon ‘screaming’ at Collins on December 8, which resulted in her running from the set in tears.
After that, he was reportedly told to take a day to ‘cool off’ by boss Chris Licht but instead blew up on staffers after a company newsletter featured a story about his altercation with the White House Correspondent.
Lemon went ‘ballistic’ at staffers who highlighted the spat with Collins, according to RadarOnline – with the host claiming she ‘interrupted him’ during a December broadcast.
Lemon reportedly ‘expressed unease’ with his new position after his 10pm show Don Lemon Tonight was axed amid a reshuffle at the network
He was forced to apologize two months ago after making a jibe at Republican GOP candidate Nikki Haley – saying she was past her prime
Lemon reportedly angered both his CNN This Morning co-hosts, Kaitlan Collins (left) and Poppy Harlow (right), with his on-set behavior
Since the incident in December, Lemon was sent to Memphis and on other assignments, while Collins worked remotely from Washington DC on several occasions in January.
He was forced to apologize two months ago after making a jibe at Republican GOP candidate Nikki Haley – saying she was past her prime.
Lemon was then forced to undergo ‘formal training’ after making the sexist comments live on air.
Harlow took a ‘well timed’ bathroom break and was followed into the bathroom by Collins after the comment – with a source adding the tense relationship has been ‘smoldering for months’.
Lemon missed the show for three days straight, with insiders saying he is aware that he is on his ‘final warning’ after a series of insulting blunders on the early-morning show.
Licht, who has slammed Lemon’s remarks, sent a memo to staffers Monday saying that Lemon has agreed to participate in training.
Lemon was former CNN’s CEO Jeff Zucker’s primetime liberal mouthpiece for years
CNN have refuted Lemon’s version of events, saying he was given the opportunity to meet with management before he was fired
Don Lemon told viewers to ‘Google it’ when his co-hosts pushed back on his claims about women being ‘past their prime’ over 40-years old
According to a memo sent to staffers at the time, Licht said: ‘I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation.
‘He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously.
‘It is important to me that CNN balances accountability with a fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes.’
Lemon returned to the show after the controversy, but did not acknowledge the backlash he faced live on air – instead issued a groveling apology online moments before the show started.
Licht previously said that the remarks were ‘upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization’ during an editorial call.
Lemon tweeted just before going on air: ‘I appreciate the opportunity to be back on CNN This Morning today.
‘To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon.’
The host took an unscheduled day off, after jetting off to Miami with his fiancé on a planned trip – which conveniently coincided with the backlash.
He also lost out on an interview with disgraced Congressman George Santos to TalkTV’s Piers Morgan following his comments.
A week prior he was shot down by Collins and Harlow after they accused him of mansplaining why the US men’s soccer team should get paid more – despite their lack of success.
He insisted that he was joking when he said that men were ‘more interesting to watch’- with the interaction making for awkward viewing.
CNN This Morning has suffered a ratings bomb and early last month experienced its least-viewed week since launch, averaging just over 330,000 viewers.
The best of the worst of Don Lemon
Was Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 swallowed by a black hole? – During coverage of the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 in 2014, Don Lemon asked a panel of experts whether it was possible the Boeing jet might have been swallowed up by a black hole:
‘People are saying to me, why aren’t you talking about the possibility – and I’m just putting it out there – that something odd happened to this plane, something beyond our understanding?’ he asked.
‘What if it was something fully that we don’t really understand? A lot of people have been asking about that, about black holes and on, and on, and on, and all of these conspiracy theories,’ he continued, adding comparisons to the Bermuda Triangle and the television show Lost.
US Department of Transportation inspector general Mary Schiavo said the theories were unlikely:
‘Well, it is. A small black hole would suck in our entire universe so we know it’s not that. The Bermuda Triangle is often weather. And Lost is a TV show,’ she said.
Don Lemon espouses about whether a missing jetliner was sucked into a Black Hole
Why didn’t you just bite his penis? – While interviewing Bill Cosby sexual assault accuser Joan Tarshis, Lemon asked her why she didn’t stop him from raping her by biting his penis:
‘You know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you don’t want to do it,’ he said.
‘I was kind of stoned at the time, and quite honestly, I that didn’t even enter my mind. Now I wish it would have,’ Tashis said.
‘Right. Meaning the using of teeth, right?’ Lemon asked, ‘As a weapon.’
‘Ouch,’ Tashis said, ‘No, it didn’t cross my mind.’
Pull your pants up, black people – In 2013 while talking about Bill O’Reilly’s controversial comments that unmarried black women need to stop having children and inner city schools need to enforce discipline, Lemon argued the Fox News host’s plans to elevate black people wasn’t as bold as it should be.
‘In my estimation, he doesn’t go far enough,’ said Lemon, ‘Walking around with your a** and your underwear showing is not okay. In fact, it comes from prison. When they take away belts from prisoners so they can’t make a weapon. And then it evolved into which role each prisoner would have during male-on-male prison sex.’
Lemon went on to explain black people should stop using the N-word, and refrain from littering.