The longtime Fox News anchor announced his departure from the network after 18 years, calling it "a great ride."
Chris Wallace is saying goodbye to Fox News. The longtime Fox News Sunday anchor announced his decision to leave the network during this weekend's program, calling his 18 years with Fox "a great ride."
"After 18 years, this is my final Fox News Sunday,” Wallace said. "It is the last time, and I say this with real sadness, we will meet like this."
"It's been a great ride," he continued. "We've covered five presidential elections, interviewed every president since George H. Bush, traveled the world, sitting down with France's Emmanuel Macron and Russia's Vladimir Putin. And, I've gotten to spend Sunday mornings with you."
While Wallace said he was grateful for the community he's built during his Sunday morning show, he admitted that he's ready for something new.
"I'm ready for a new adventure, and I hope you'll check it out," the 74-year-old newsman shared. "And so, for the last time, dear friends, that's it for today. Have a great week. And I hope you'll keep watching Fox News Sunday."
Shortly after signing off, CNN announced that Wallace will be joining their team as part of their new streaming service, CNN+, which will launch in 2022.
"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," Wallace said in a press release shared 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."
His exit from Fox News came as a surprise to the television news industry and viewers alike, with Wallace most recently penning a contract with the network in 2017 that was set to run through and past the 2020 election.
In response to Wallace's departure, Fox News released a statement of their own, applauding the longtime anchor for his work at the network and sharing what's next for the Fox News Sunday time slot.
"We are extremely proud of our journalism and the stellar team that Chris Wallace was a part of for 18 years," the network shared. "The legacy of ‘Fox News Sunday’ will continue with our star journalists, many of whom will rotate in the position until a permanent host is named."
The son of 60 Minutes reporter, Mike Wallace, the Fox News staple kicked off his career in broadcast journalism at NBC News in 1975. He later joined ABC News where he worked for nearly 15 years before joining Fox News Sunday.
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