Neil Cavuto, after a 28-year run at Fox News, has finally called it quits, leaving behind a legacy more marked by controversy than by the journalistic integrity one might expect from a seasoned anchor. His last day on air, December 19, 2024, was less a celebration than a reminder of his frequent clashes with the conservative ethos of the network.
Known for his occasional criticism of President-elect Donald Trump, Cavuto often found himself at odds with the very audience Fox News cultivated. “Today I also wanted to let you know, this is my final show. I am leaving Fox,” he declared, perhaps signaling relief from both sides – him from the network, and the network from him.
Throughout his tenure, Cavuto was seen by some as a thorn in the side of Fox News, especially when he chose to fact-check or challenge statements from conservative figures. His approach was often perceived as undermining the network’s mission to deliver unapologetically conservative viewpoints. “Neil Cavuto, Fox’s Lowest Rated Anchor, is one of the WORST on Television,” Trump once remarked on Truth Social, encapsulating the sentiment of many who felt Cavuto did not align with Fox News’ core values. His departure was met with mixed emotions; while Fox News issued a statement lauding his “illustrious career,” the underlying tone seemed more of formality than genuine praise.
As he signed off for the last time, Cavuto’s attempt to end on a positive note was overshadowed by the reality of his contentious relationship with a significant portion of his audience. “I am forever grateful to my bosses here, they’ve been very good to me these many years and offered a very generous opportunity for me to stay years more,” he said, but this gratitude was juxtaposed against his health-related absences and the criticisms he faced for his occasional political stances.
His exit from Fox News is seen by some as a moment where the network can perhaps realign more firmly with its conservative base, free from the disruptions Cavuto’s tenure sometimes brought.
“WATCH: Neil Cavuto signs off from Fox News after 28 years with the network: “This is it. The final segment, but today I also wanted to let you know this is my final show. I’m leaving Fox. I’ve been planning this day for some time. This just seemed like a good time. Now, some of you might be thinking, ‘well, Neil, it’s about time!’ After all, I’ve been doing this for nearly three decades here. You know, there are people working with me now who weren’t even born when I started at Fox — that’s how old I am. But I’m not leaving journalism, I’m just leaving here. But I’m forever grateful to my bosses here. They have been very good to me these many years and offered a very generous opportunity for me to stay years more. That’s pretty amazing considering the fact that — I don’t know — I might have missed a day or two go here and there battling everything for multiple sclerosis and Covid to countless infections, even open heart surgery. Then there were all of those awful series of hang nails, don’t get me started on that one. I might’ve been unlucky in health but very lucky for the support I got here and the things I got to do here because I got to do what I love to do, report the news. Not shout the news. Not blast the news. Not — well, call names, just call balls and strikes, following the news, hold truth to power and fairness to all. That’s it, that’s me. But while you see me, you don’t see the people behind me, the producers and writers and cameramen and directors across three shows all these years carrying me and that can be a pretty heavy lift, so blame them if I said something that ticked you off and apparently I did a lot. But now, I’m off and saving my biggest thanks for last, for you, all of you, who have allowed me into your homes all of these years. My dad used to tell me, ‘Neil, stay humble because in your case it will come in handy.’ I don’t think you would ever imagine my incredible run, but I do think he’d remind me to thank those who made it possible, all of you. Okay, truth be told, most of you. I’m leaving out the nasty ones who called me fat, forgetting as I often say the camera adds 50 pounds until one dude saw me in person and said ‘you know, Neil, it wasn’t the camera!’ Or those who email that I knew things that I think that were anatomically impossible to do. I got a kick out of those. Actually, I got a kick out of them all. Let’s say you kept me grounded to. My Irish mom used to say, ‘we should count our blessings and never forget who blessed us.’ In the end, that should be our focus and that is mine tonight’s. Not all the stuff that divides us or the nastiness that it emitters us, but the far more important stuff that unites us and defines us and lifts us. I tried to appeal to those better angels and I’m grateful you get me that chance. That is why I say goodbye with only good thoughts and good wishes. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. May the new year be as fulfilling for you as these nearly 30 incredible years you blessed me. It means a lot, you do too, thank you and good night.”
Earlier we reported:
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