CNN May Replace Familiar Network Face With His Ex-Wife: Report

As CNN continues to struggle in the cable news ratings, regularly finishing third in the top three networks and well behind industry leader Fox News, CEO Chris Licht is continuing to find ways to entice more people to watch.

That has entailed major shake-ups, including firing some hosts and correspondents while moving others to different roles, as was the case with Don Lemon, who lost his little-watched primetime evening slot and was moved to co-hosting the network’s still struggling morning show.

Now it appears as though Licht is about to make another move, and this one is likely to sting one of the network’s mainstay hosts and personalities.

“Ratings-challenged CNN is reportedly considering replacing longtime ‘Inside Politics’ anchor John King with his ex-wife, network veteran and anchor Dana Bash,” the New York Post reported.

CNN is “looking to shake up its daily ‘Inside Politics’ show by likely replacing anchor John King with CNN’s chief political correspondent Dana Bash,” the Daily Beast’s Confider media newsletter reported on Monday.

The report highlighted that any potential change “would be doubly notable” given their previous marriage. King, aged 59, and Bash had previously been married but separated in 2012 after being together for four years. They share one child together.

King, who is CNN’s chief national correspondent, has been hosting the weekday edition of “Inside Politics” since 2014. The show is broadcasted on weekdays at noon.

Meanwhile, Bash, aged 51, serves as the co-anchor of CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper, which airs on Sunday mornings. In addition to her anchoring responsibilities, Bash also serves as the network’s chief political correspondent, The Post noted further.

CNN could replace John King with ex-wife Dana Bash on ‘Inside Politics’: report https://t.co/UPep2VitvW pic.twitter.com/ZxNufU2nDS

— New York Post (@nypost) April 11, 2023

Last week during his show, King was talking about the dearth of American voters who say they want another term for 80-year-old President Joe Biden which, if he wins another term and serves it in full, he would be 86 when he left office.

“The numbers are beyond sobering for President Biden,” King told guest David Chalian.

Of the group polled, only 26 people younger than 35 want to see another Biden term, and young people are a key component of the Democrat base.

Even among Democrats and Independents who lean Democrat, only 54 percent want to see Biden in the White House again.

As for Lemon, insiders say they are hard-pressed to understand why he still has a job there after a series of incidents and bad behavior dating back to at least December.

For one, CNN’s morning show, “CNN This Morning,” hosted by Lemon, Poppy Harlow, and Kaitlan Collins, just became the lowest-rated in the history of the network.

Now, Lemon is facing more controversy after a Variety story suggested Lemon had been caught behaving as a misogynist when he first came to the network. The report alleged that Lemon sent threatening text messages to a colleague from a burner phone and repeatedly exhibited misogynistic and “diva-like” behavior many years ago. CNN and Lemon issued responses denying the Variety report and its allegations.

And like many CNN insiders, a longtime media industry executive who previously worked at CNN is stunned that the network continues to stand by him.

“Well before the Variety article appeared, it’s been one of the biggest mysteries in TV news why CNN keeps Don Lemon around. He rates poorly, he is a source of constant embarrassment and his new morning show is an unqualified disaster,” the media insider told Fox News.

“Now his long history of degrading women has been laid bare,” they continued. “What mysterious hold does he have over his bosses that explains his longevity?”

Another CNN insider told Fox News: “There are plenty of people just as talented and popular with viewers that are not such a heavy lift.”

According to a recent report from the New York Post, several sources said that Lemon “screamed” at Collins following an on-air incident on the set of the show in December, with tensions continuing to rise as it tanks and as Lemon, apparently, is unhappy sharing on-air duties.

Earlier this year, Lemon made sexist comments about GOP presidential contender Nikki Haley after she declared her candidacy and suggested that Biden was too old to run again.

Lemon criticized Haley on Thursday for endorsing “mandatory mental competency tests” for politicians who are 75 years or older, suggesting that Haley was no longer in her “prime.”

Lemon referenced “Google” to support his contention that Haley, who is 51 years old, will face a difficult challenge in winning the presidency, as women are only considered to be in their prime during their “20s, 30s, and 40s.”