Former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly released the following statement on his departure from the network while flying back from Italy Wednesday evening.
BREAKING: Statement from Bill O’Reilly, who is currently on a plane back from Italy >> pic.twitter.com/UCnUjNQSrS
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) April 19, 2017
“Over the past 20 years at Fox News,” O’Reilly wrote. “I have been extremely proud to launch and lead one of the most successful news programs in history, which has consistently informed and entertained millions of Americans and significantly contributed to building Fox into the dominant news network in television.”
He called the circumstances surrounding his firing “tremendously disheartening” as they were based on, in his words, “completely unfounded claims.”
“But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today,” he continued. “I will always look back on my time at Fox with great pride in the unprecedented success we achieved and with my deepest gratitude to all my dedicated viewers.”
“I wish only the best for Fox News Channel.”