Kilmeade Jokingly Phones It in When Teasing the Next Segment: ‘I’m Gonna Say Something When I Come Back’

Brian Kilmeade capped off a rough week in the ratings after being given the thankless task of filling in for Tucker Carlson amid viewers’ anger at Fox News firing the top-rated host to begin the week.

Fox announced on Monday morning it parted ways with Carlson, with sources saying he had been fired. The termination came after it was revealed the host reportedly used the C-word in a private message to disparage a senior communications executive at Fox. That revelation came courtesy of filings in a defamation lawsuit against the company. Though the communication from Carlson was redacted in a court filing, Fox executives were aware of what had been said.

It is unclear if the vulgar missive was the reason for the firing or if it was just one several. Last week, the network settled the defamation suit for $787.5 million and is the defendant in another suit filed by a former producer for Carlson’s show.

Kilmeade filled in all week in the 8 p.m. time slot, hosting Fox News Tonight. Not surprisingly, the ratings faltered given that Carlson had the most-watched show on cable news and many viewers decided to tune out.

After wrapping up an interview about “murder hornets,” Kilmeade teased the next segment by not teasing it at all:

We have more in just a moment. The music’s gonna get louder, graphics are gonna come in, and I’m gonna say something when I come back.

When the show returned, Kilmeade relayed a story about a cow in the loose in suburban Chicago as b-roll of the bovine aired.

Fox will experiment with a series of rotating hosts until it decides on a permanent host at 8 p.m.

Watch above via Fox News.

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