Don Lemon Announces End Of His CNN Show: “Changes Are Coming”
CNN’s Don Lemon stunned his viewers last night by announcing his show was coming to an end. He said changes are coming and left it at that but many immediately pointed to the absolute ratings debacle that has been CNN since Trump left.
Lemon later clarified after social media erupted in rumors that he was leaving CNN entirely. He said he was staying but that his show is over. “It’s been really, really great,” the 55-year-old host said. (See Video Below)
“This is the last night that will be ‘CNN Tonight with Don Lemon.’ So, I appreciate all the years of ‘CNN Tonight with Don Lemon,’ but changes are coming, and I will fill you in.”
He said after his show:
“So I got back down to my office after the show — everybody calm down,” he said.
“I didn’t say I was leaving CNN. I just said it was the end of an era for ‘CNN Tonight with Don Lemon’.
“I am not leaving CNN,” Lemon said.
“So you will have to tune in Monday at 10 o’clock to see.”
“That’s it. So relax, I’m not leaving.” Lemon laughed and repeated, “I’m not leaving.”
“Changes are coming. I will fill you in.”
From Fox News:
Fox News Channel was the most-watched cable-news channel from April 26 through May 2, topping liberal networks CNN and MSNBC for the 11th straight week among both primetime and total day viewers as CNN’s “New Day” continues to drag down the liberal network despite multiple attempts to salvage the hapless morning show.
Fox News averaged 2.3 million primetime viewers to finish No. 1 in all of basic cable, even topping ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage. ESPN averaged 2.1 million viewers to finish second, while MSNBC averaged 1.6 million to finish third. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” averaged 2.9 million viewers to finish as the most-watched cable news program of the week.
Fox News also topped all of basic cable among total day viewers, averaging 1.2 million as MSNBC, CNN and ESPN all failed to crack the one-million viewer plateau. The daytime dominance was helped by FNC’s “The Five,” which beat everything CNN and MSNBC had to offer, including during primetime, despite airing at 5 p.m. ET.
CNN’s revamped morning show “New Day” continued to embarrass the liberal network despite CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker’s reputation as a morning TV guru. Zucker handpicked Brianna Keilar as the new “New Day” co-host, but she hasn’t helped attract viewers despite a highly publicized relaunch two week ago.
CNN’s struggling morning show actually had its worst week of the year among total viewers last week, and was down five percent compared to the previous week when Keilar debuted in the seat previously occupied by Alisyn Camerota.
“Fox & Friends” averaged 1.2 million viewers, while CNN’s “New Day” settled for only 487,000 viewers.
CNN finished the week of April 26 with its worst performance since the week of February 17, 2020.
That wasn't awkward at all. https://t.co/wo1FyRXvpc
— Noam Blum 🦉 (@neontaster) May 15, 2021
Hey everyone. Not what you think. I’m not leaving CNN. Tune in for the handoff on Monday at 10pE and I’ll explain. pic.twitter.com/oOwDferY2i
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) May 15, 2021