‘Fox News Sunday’ anchor departs for CNN+

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Respected journalist Chris Wallace announced on “Fox News Sunday” that he will be departing the show and network.

The surprise announcement came Sunday. Dec. 13, 2021 and was quickly followed by a separate announcement that he would be joining CNN+, the WearnerMedia owned network’s forthcoming streamer.

His last show was also Dec. 13.

Wallace had joined Fox in 2003 and anchored “Sunday” since then. Prior to that, he worked for ABC News from 1989 to 2003 and also anchored weekend editions of “NBC Nightly News” from 1982 to 1984 and 1986 to 1987, as well as moderating “Meet the Press” from 1987 to 1988.

“Fox News Sunday” airs on the right leaning Fox News Channel and on select Fox affiliates and is billed as a Sunday morning political affairs program in the vein of “Meet the Press,” “Face the Nation” and “This Week.”

Wallace was reportedly at the end of a four year contract with the network.

“I am thrilled to join CNN+. After decades in broadcast and cable news, I am excited to explore the world of streaming. I look forward to the new freedom and flexibility streaming affords in interviewing major figures across the news landscape—and finding new ways to tell stories,” said Wallace in a statement issued by CNN. “As I embark on this adventure, I am honored and delighted to join Jeff Zucker and his great team. I can’t wait to get started.”

Wallace was widely viewed as one of remaining “true” journalists at a network that’s largely filled with right wing bias in both its news reporting and opinion programming. Shepard Smith, who was held in similar regard, left the network, also in a surprise move, in 2019 and now anchors an evening newscast for CNBC.

CNN said that Wallace will host a weekday show for the streaming service, which will focus on across politics, business, sports and culture — a contrast to his heavily political focused show at Fox.

No name, timeslot or other details have been announced. CNN+ is planned to launch in the first quarter of 2022.

“Fox News Sunday” will use a series of rotating hosts until a replacement is named, including Bret Baier, John Roberts, Shannon Bream, Martha MacCallum, Jennifer Griffin, Neil Cavuto, Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer.

That list notably does not include any names from the network’s pool of more extreme hosts such as Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity.

Wallace, who is 74, is the sone of the late Mike Wallace, who was a correspondent at CBS’s “60 Minutes.”