CNN fired morning news anchor Don Lemon, known for his controversial comments and behavior. 

Lemon said that he was caught off guard by the news as it was his agent who informed him that he had been terminated. However, CNN later stated that they had offered Lemon an opportunity to meet with management and discuss his future at the media house, but Lemon instead chose to release a statement on Twitter. 

According to sources, there was no single incident that caused Lemon’s departure, but CNN’s management saw his repeated outbursts and bad behavior as part of a “pattern” that made his stay at the station untenable. CNN plans for co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins to continue anchoring the morning show, hoping to stabilize it. 

CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the news in a memo to staffers, saying that Lemon would forever be part of the station’s family and thanked him for his contributions for the 17 years he has been at CNN. 

Lemon has hired former CNN CEO Jeff Zucker’s girlfriend, Allison Gollust, to advise him during his split with CNN, which one media insider called a “power move.” 

It is unclear whether CNN will continue paying the former anchor, but a source close to Leon expects the network to pay him what he is owed on his contract.

Lemon has faced several controversies over the past few months, including allegations of “diva-like” and misogynistic behavior by Variety. The magazine reported that Lemon sent threatening text messages from an unknown number to co-anchor Kyra Phillips. He once remarked that he did not consider Soledad O’Brien “authentically black.” Lemon vehemently denied these allegations. 

Lemon’s latest controversy was in February when he was criticized for saying on air that presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not “in her prime.” He also yelled at co-anchor Kaitlan Collins in December after a tense on-air segment. This month, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to be interviewed by him. 

Advertisers were also pulling out of spending on the show, and the show needed to gain traction in its ratings. CEO Licht had reportedly talked to Lemon and his agent about the show not being a good fit for him.