ShutterstockFox News is experiencing a shake up with the departure of longtime host Shepard Smith.
On Friday, he shocked the news with the announcement that he will be leaving his role as chief news anchor for the conglomerate. In a heartfelt statement on-air, Shepard told viewers, "Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter. After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged."
According to The New York Times, the anchor is leaving in the middle of his contract, but Shepard stated that per his exit agreement he won't be reporting elsewhere, "at least in the near future."
Shepard did not reveal his motivations behind leaving the company, but said that he will be "eternally grateful" for all the opportunities his position afforded him. In his final words behind the news desk he told the cameras, "Even in our current polarized nation, it is my hope that the facts will win the day, that the truth will always matter, that journalism and journalists will thrive."
Friday's newscast was his last appearance on the show, something that his co-workers like Neil Cavuto and more were stunned by.
Right after the seemingly surprise announcement, Cavuto told viewers, "I'm a little stunned and a little heartbroken. I don't know what to say."