Bill O’Reilly’s two-decade run as host of “The O’Reilly Factor” has come to an unceremonious end, making what ended up being his final sign-off on Fox News rather awkward.
In the midst of sexual harassment allegations from former Fox News staffers and contributors, news that the network has shelled out $13 million in settlements with accusers, and a mass exodus of advertisers, O’Reilly announced he was taking a vacation from “The Factor” back on April 11. In his “Tip of the Day” sign-off segment, he called it a break for the Easter season, telling his viewers that he booked a trip last fall that “should be terrific,” but didn’t tell them what that was.
Instead, he announced a contest on his website where fans could guess where he’s going and promised that “I’ll have a full report when I return.”
His tip of the day? “If you can possibly take two trips a year, it will refresh your life. We all need R&R. Put it to good use…all of us deserve a break, so make sure to take yours.”
Turns out that O’Reilly’s break will be a bit longer than he initially planned. Fox News announced Wednesday that they were parting ways with their longtime pundit as the number of harassment accusers against him increased and the number of advertisers on “The Factor” decreased. Tucker Carlson will take over O’Reilly’s 8 PM slot, with Greg Gutfeld’s “The Five” moving to a primetime slot. Gutfeld will host the final “Factor” broadcast this Friday.
Watch the end of O’Reilly’s last “Factor” in the clip above.