Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, who was the on-air sparring partner for Geraldo Rivera on the Fox News show “The Five,” took his battles with Rivera off the set as well, according to a new report that cited Gutfeld as a prime reason Rivera is leaving the show.
Last week, Rivera announced that he would leave the popular program.
“There has been a growing tension that goes beyond editorial differences and personal annoyances and gripes. It’s not worth it to me,” Rivera said, according to The Associated Press.
He did not mention Gutfeld by name in discussing his departure.
Rivera said he chose to leave “The Five” but that Fox News “didn’t race after me to say, ‘Geraldo, please come back.’”
Morning, it’s official, I’m off @TheFive. My last scheduled show appearances are Thursday and Friday June 29th and 30th. It’s been a great run and I appreciate having had the opportunity. Being odd man out isn’t always easy. For the time being, I’m still Correspondent at Large.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) June 21, 2023
The gossip site Radar Online framed the departure as the end of a saga that included “knockdown drag-out fights” between the two, based on what it called an insider it did not name.
“Geraldo and Greg do not get along. That is obvious to anyone who watches ‘The Five.’ But what people didn’t see on television is how often that tension spilled over to off-the-camera,” the insider said.
“There is no love lost between Geraldo and Greg, that is for certain,” the insider said.
The source told Radar Online that Rivera appeared to have worn 0ut his welcome at Fox News.
“Geraldo was once the favorite of Fox — but he doesn’t have that role anymore. Greg is the new king of Fox News having dominated the late-night timeslot with his show ‘Gutfeld!’” the insider said.
“Being at the top of your game ensures you have network bosses eating out the palm of his hands! In this power struggle, Gutfeld won,” the source said.
Geraldo Rivera appeared to have a strained relationship with Greg Gutfeld after multiple heated exchanges on “The Five” and had suggested that the co-host was the reason he was showing up less frequently on the cable news show. https://t.co/kLlcwXQXjD
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 21, 2023
Radar Online cited another source as saying Rivera had no support from upper management.
“When the tension between Greg and Geraldo spilled from on-air to off-air — and people were forced to pick a side — it came down to choosing between a Fox News stalwart or the future of Fox News. And Greg had the overwhelming backing,” the source said.
In its report, the Los Angeles Times wrote that “Rivera’s departure is likely part of the cost-cutting moves that have been made across the network over the last month.”
The Times report suggested cuts are linked to Fox News’ nearly $800 million settlement of a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
