Host Bill O’Reilly appears on The O’Reilly Factor (Getty)
Bill O’Reilly‘s time at Fox News may be coming to an end.
Reports say that 21st Century Fox is prepared to cut ties with the longtime TV host and political analyst amidst allegations of sexual harassment.
The Murdoch family have met behind closed doors to discuss the matter and are “leaning toward announcing that O’Reilly will not return to the air,” New York Magazine reported.
O’Reilly is currently on a pre-planned vacation from the show as Fox executives continue to sort out the matter before he returns April 24.
A poll performed by Morning Consult found that 46 percent of people think Fox News should cancel O’Reilly’s long-running show, The O’Reilly Factor. Taking into account those who actively watch the show, 23 percent said it should be taken off the air and 58 percent said it should be kept on the news network.
Pressure has continued to mount against O’Reilly, as a new anonymous accuser came out April 18 with more allegations that the host sexually harassed her. Lawyer Lisa Bloom announced that she is representing the new client who said O’Reilly sexually and racially harassed her.
I represent a new woman who just phoned in a complaint of sexual and racial harassment against Bill O’Reilly to the Fox News hotline.
That comes after a New York Times story revealed that Fox News and O’Reilly have paid five settlements for $13 million for his inappropriate behavior, including offering Wendy Walsh a job in exchange for sex.
With the new allegations surfacing, O’Reilly and his attorney Marc Kasowitz fired back, accusing “far-left organizations” of casting a smear campaign on him and his character.
#BREAK: New statement from Bill O’Reilly lawyer says he is victim of “brutal campaign of character assassination” >>>
Well over 50 companies have announced they are pulling their ads from being run during The O’Reilly Factor because of the recent developments.
So if Fox News does indeed cut ties with O’Reilly, who has been with the network since 1996, who would be tabbed as his replacement?
Here are some of the top candidates that may fill the void if O’Reilly is fired:
Eric Bolling
Eric Bolling attends FOX News’ “The Five” at FOX Studios on February 26, 2014. (Getty)
Bolling seems to be one of the lead candidates to replace O’Reilly.
He’s has filled in as a guest host for O’Reilly on previous occasions and hosts Cashin’ In on Fox News and is also a co-host of The Five.
Bolling is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and published a New York Times best-selling book titled Wake Up America.
Before coming to Fox News, Bolling was a commodities trader on the New York Mercantile Exchange, specializing in natural gas, crude oil and gold trading.
When he first got to Fox in 2007, he worked on the Fox Business Network as a financial analyst.
In addition to his time on the two shows he currently hosts on the network, he has been a guest on Hannity and Fox & Friends.
Tucker Carlson
TV host Tucker Carlson in 2008. (Getty)
The political news correspondent for Fox News is one of the leading candidates to replace O’Reilly.
Since November 2016, Carlson has hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. He was also the co-founder of The Daily Caller, a news website.
Tucker was hired as a contributor at Fox News in 2009 and was a guest panelist frequently on Red Eye. He filled in for Sean Hannity on occasion before landing his own show. Once Megyn Kelly moved to NBC in January, Carlson’s show moved to Kelly’s time slot and became the most watched cable program in the slot.
Before coming to Fox News, he was the co-host on CNN’s Crossfire and also the host of MSNBC’s Tucker.
Greg Gutfeld
Gutfeld has hosted The Greg Gutfeld Show on Fox News at 10 p.m. on Saturdays and spent time as the host of the late-night comedy show on the network, Red Eye, until 2015.
Like Bolling, Gutfeld is a co-host on The Five, but describes himself as a libertarian.
Gutfeld has published several books throughout his professional career ranging from tips on relationships to describing the “hipster elite.”
Dana Perino
Former US Press Secretary Dana Perino arrives for the daily press briefing in 2008. (Getty)
Perino is one of the more interesting candidates to replace O’Reilly, as she was the White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush from September 2007 until January 2009. She was just the second female White House press secretary ever.
After working at the White House, Perino published several books and is currently a political commentator on Fox News. Like Bolling and Gutfeld, Perino is also a co-host on The Five.
In November 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Perino to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Perino started a weekly podcast in September 2016 titled Perino & Stirewalt: I’ll Tell You What on Fox News for the 2016 election cycle.
Jesse Watters
Watters is a frequent guest on The O’Reilly Factor and started a segment in 2015 on the show where he performs on-the-street interviews of people. His popular segment is titled “Watters’ World,” and he takes to the streets to interview strangers on the latest headlines and political headlines in the news.
Watters started working for Fox News in 2014 on the show Outnumbered where he has occasionally been a guest host.
In October 2016, Watters received criticism for what some deemed as a racist episode of “Watters’ World.” The segment in question sent Watters to Chinatown in New York City, where he asked Chinese Americans if they knew karate among other things while the song “Kung Fu Fighting” was playing in the background.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio called Watters’ segment “vile and racist,” saying it has no place in the city.
Watters issued an apology on Twitter after the criticism.
My man-on-the-street interviews are meant to be taken as tongue-in-cheek and I regret if anyone found offense.
Watters said in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer that he thoroughly enjoys being on the show and being described as an “ambush journalist.”
I try to make it enjoyable for the person I’m interviewing. We always come away from the interview all smiles, for the most part. And it’s always fun to come back and look at the footage and say, ‘Oh my gosh, what just happened?
Watters had also been a guest on O’Reilly and Dennis Miller’s The Spin Stops Here Tour 2017.