Don Lemon’s time at CNN is over.
Lemon took to Twitter Monday morning to reveal that he learned the news from his agent.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,” he wrote.
“After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that 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,” his statement continued.
“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.”
In a memo, CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht addressed the news to staff.
“To my CNN Colleagues, CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” it reads.
“We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
“CNN This Morning has been on the air for nearly six months, and we are committed to its success.”
Lemon’s future on the show was called into question after a sexist statement he made on the show earlier this year.
Variety published a bombshell-filled exposé about his behavior at the network, which included more than a dozen of his former and current colleagues speaking about his pattern of “diva-like” behavior.
The initial incident that caused controversy started when Lemon was discussing South Carolina governor Nikki Haley’s remarks about how politicians over the age of 75 should have to take a mental competency test.
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” Lemon said. “A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”
“If you Google ‘when is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s and 40s,” he said before issuing an apology on Twitter.
“The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it,” he wrote.
“A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally.”
“I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
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