Fox News says Tucker Carlson is in violation of his contract. According to Axios, the network just sent its former top host a cease-and-desist letter after he launched his new series “Tucker on Twitter.”
The series, which Fox views as a competitor, drew in nearly 170 million views with its first two episodes. The third episode, which will discuss the indictment of former President Donald Trump, drops Tuesday, June 13.
According to Forbes, Carlson was making around $20 million a year hosting Fox’s highest rated show “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” The 54-year-old abruptly exited the channel at the end of April.
His departure came shortly after parent company Fox Corp. settled a $787.5 million defamation lawsuit in which Carlson was involved. Fox is continuing to pay Carlson, and maintains that his contract keeps his content exclusive to Fox through Dec. 31, 2024.
“Fox News continues to ignore the interests of its viewers, not to mention its shareholder obligations,” Carlson’s lawyer, Harmeet Dhillon, said in a statement to Axios.
Another attorney for Carlson, Bryan Freedman, said any legal action by Fox would infringe on Carlson’s First Amendment rights.
