Since his abrupt and dramatic departure from Fox News last year, Shep Smith has been keeping a low profile. But that may soon be changing.
The Daily Beast reports the 56-year-old out anchorman is getting ready to make a major comeback.
Smith has purportedly had meetings with MSNBC President Phil Griffin about a potential gig once his non-compete clause with Fox runs out. CNN’s Jeff Zucker is also said to be actively courting Smith, “as are a number of the networks.”
“It’s unclear what slot he would take, but we’d want him in primetime,” an MSNBC insider tells The Daily Beast.
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Where Shep lands will likely boil down to which network is willing to meet his price tag, which is expected to be “considerable.”
Smith announced his immediate resignation from Fox News last October following months of head-butting with the network over its nauseating pro-Trump bent.
In his farewell statement, Smith said:
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. The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many. It’s been an honor and a privilege to report the news each day to our loyal audience in context and with perspective, without fear or favor. I’ve worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I’m proud to have anchored their work each day — I will deeply miss them.
Though we haven’t always agreed with his political leanings, we are definitely curious to see what Shep Smith will do once he is fully unleashed from the fetters of Fox News.
Related: Shepard Smith reveals his struggle coming out at the “craziest conservative network on Earth”
Cam
Andy Lack and others at NBC’s parent seem DESPERATE to bring conservatives from FOX News over to dilute MSNBC. The last two they tried, Greta Van Sustran to MSNBC and Meygan Kelly to NBC failed spectacularly.
Andy either stupidly thinks they can keep their liberal audience and gain conservatives if they have conservatives on, or he’s just another rich executive who wants to push help Republicans because he doesn’t like paying his taxes.
JED08
The fact that he worked for Fox News doesn’t make him conservative, and he’s not.
stanhope
Andy Lack…lacks to the point of being fired
man5996853
Shep Smith is not the same kind of conservative. He shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as Megyn and Greta, two right-wingers who tried to present themselves as someone other than the extremists they were. If Shep brings the remaining few reasonable Republican viewers to his show and they stick around for other shows with a more liberal bent, I’m all for it.
LilMesican
So… What’s the rumor? That he’s looking for work? That he is in talks with another station?
If this is what Graham calls a rumor then he needs to get out more often.
JED08
Agreed, the word rumors has no place in this article. That he is talking to these networks is a fact, not a rumor.
sonic_source
Shepard who?
jlicks
Prime time??? Who on Msnbc would they can? Certainly not Rachel of Lawrence!
frankcar1965
Why does he always look like he has dead people make-up on?
Frank Lee Mideer
He’s GAY! That’s his trump card. (pun intended)