Don Lemon Celebrates CNN Shakeup That Moves Him to Mornings: ‘This Is a Promotion’

Don Lemon made his move to mornings official Thursday night when he told his audience he would soon leave primetime behind to co-host a show with Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.

The network announced the shakeup earlier in the morning, but the Don Lemon Tonight host did not have a chance to address it on the air until 10 p.m. ET.

During the handoff with CNN Tonight host Laura Coates, she said, “Hey, Don Lemon – no, should I say good morning, Don Lemon?”

The host, who had just returned from London, joked he had no idea what his colleague was referring to. He added:

I am exhausted. I just got back today. What a time to be on the plane when this happened, then I get off the plane and my phone literally was blowing up, it has been heated up all day. Let me just say that it’s bittersweet for me because I work with the best team in this building, one of the best teams in this business, and we built this show out of nothing. This show was not supposed to exist.

Lemon thanked his show’s eight-year staff, which he said knows him well. He added he is looking for a professional change, and the move was a decision from him and not a mandate from management.

“This is not someone saying you must move to the right, Don Lemon, and give so much of your perspective,” Lemon added. “That is not real. This is fodder for Twitter. This is an opportunity. This is a promotion. This is an opportunity for me to create something around me and I get to work with two great ladies who you know.”

Lemon joked CNN told him they would have to hire someone to come to his home to make sure he was awake for the new show.

CNN boss Chris Licht told employees Tuesday of the change in the network’s morning and evening lineups.

“This is not an incremental change,” Licht said in a staff memo obtained by Mediaite. “Our morning news program will debut with a new name, new set, and a totally new format.”

Watch above, via CNN.