Geraldo Rivera, one of the few liberal voices on Fox News’ highly popular political debate show “The Five,” announced his departure on Wednesday, citing “growing tension that extends beyond mere editorial differences” as the reason for his decision.
Rivera, a seasoned television veteran who will turn 80 on July 4, is set to make his final appearance on “The Five” next week. Reflecting on his time on the show, he expressed gratitude for the tumultuous yet exhilarating journey that spanned several years, hoping that this wouldn’t be his last adventure.
While Rivera emphasized that leaving “The Five” was his own choice, he revealed that Fox management did not actively pursue him to reconsider his decision. As of now, there has been no official statement from Fox regarding his departure.
Despite airing in the late afternoon rather than prime time, “The Five” has emerged as Fox’s most-watched program, attracting an average of over 3 million viewers last year. The show’s concept is straightforward: five individuals, four conservatives and one liberal, engage in lively discussions on current issues.
In addition to Geraldo Rivera, other regular conservative voices on “The Five” include Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, and Jeanine Pirro. Rivera has alternated as the liberal voice on the show with Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., a former congressman from Tennessee.
Rivera mentioned that he intends to continue his association with Fox as a “correspondent at large,” with his contract set to expire in January 2025.
Throughout his tenure, Rivera faced a few suspensions, with the most recent occurring in early May. In April, after Fox fired Tucker Carlson and Carlson expressed views on the January 6 Capitol insurrection that Rivera disagreed with, Rivera referred to Carlson’s theories as “bullshit” in a tweet. Greg Gutfeld responded to Rivera’s tweet, stating, “You’re a class act Geraldo, a real man of the people.” Carlson had downplayed the violence of the Capitol breach, referring to the individuals who entered the Capitol as “sightseers.”
Rivera and Gutfeld had multiple contentious exchanges, including a heated argument about electric vehicles in late April, during which Rivera told Gutfeld to “stop pointing at me.” Last year, during a dispute about abortion, Rivera referred to Gutfeld as “an arrogant punk” on air.
Rivera declined to comment directly on Gutfeld when asked about their relationship.
Rivera expressed that the reason for his departure from “The Five” extended beyond mere editorial differences and personal disagreements. He emphasized that the increasing tension had reached a point where it no longer held value for him.
Having previously been a friend of Donald Trump but parting ways due to the former president’s unfounded assertions about winning the 2020 election, Rivera made it clear that he firmly believes Donald Trump should not serve as the president of the United States again. He expressed his commitment to delivering this crucial message to the American people leading up to November 2024.
Despite the prominence of “The Five” and its large viewership, Rivera explained that occupying such a role would naturally lead to friction and provoke challenges in delivering his message. At 80 years old, he expressed a desire to avoid unnecessary conflict, stating that “The Five” had become too intimate and personal for him.
The electric vehicle debate exemplified the difficulties faced by the show’s liberal voice. As Rivera discussed the topic, onscreen captions below him highlighted perspectives critical of President Biden’s push for expensive electric cars, indicating the challenging environment for presenting alternative viewpoints.
Rivera has had a diverse broadcasting career, including hosting a vibrant syndicated talk show from 1987 to 1998 and anchoring an evening news and interview program on CNBC in the late 1990s. He joined Fox at the behest of then-chairman Roger Ailes shortly after the September 2001 attacks, initially serving as a war correspondent. Since then, he has remained with the network. In hindsight, Rivera expressed some regret for not leaving Fox after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011.
Regarding his relationship with his colleagues on “The Five,” Rivera believes it reflects the broader challenges and divisions present in the country. He acknowledged that taking the job as personally as he does is not an easy task.
