The Network has officially stripped the CNN from Don Lemon’s name. Often referred to as CNN’s Don Lemon, the anchor and the news giant, where he has worked for the past 17 years, have parted ways. This comes just one day after the news was leaked via Twitter by Lemon himself. He posted the stunning news on his account (see below).
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) April 24, 2023
When the show Lemon was previously a co-host for, “CNN This Morning,” aired today, the remaining hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, addressed his termination. The program started with its welcome (minus Lemon) and then went straight into Harlow, saying, “We do begin, though, with news about this show. As you may have heard yesterday, CNN parted ways with anchor Don Lemon.”
The show went on, as producers posted a statement from Chris Licht, CNN’s Chief Executive, regarding Lemon’s departure on the screen. Harlow read a portion of the statement on-air, where Licht “thanked Don for his contributions over the past 17 years… Don will forever be a part of the CNN family. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Collins chimed in, saying, “[Lemon] was a big part of this show over the last six months,” adding that when she was a reporter, he was one of the first CNN anchors to have her on his show. She recalled, “That’s something that I’ll obviously never forget. And I agree with Chris, we wish him the best.” To which Harlow responded, “[Lemon was] one of my first friends here at CNN. And I’m so thankful to have worked alongside him and for his support for nearly 15 years here, and I wish him all good things ahead.”
