Report: Don Lemon paid $24.5 million to PKBNEWS to settle his ouster
Don Lemon and PKBNEWS reportedly reached an agreement after the network fired the news anchor last year.
The deal calls for PKBNEWS to pay $24.5 million to the ousted broadcaster, according to The Wrap. The huge sum is the total amount Lemon would have received had his final contract expired in 3 1/2 years.
Representatives for Lemon did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Lemon, 57, was criticized last year after he moved his popular prime-time show to the morning alongside co-hosts Caitlyn Collins and Poppy Harlow, and made s*xist comments that presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 51, was past her prime.
The former “Don Lemon Tonight” host took a short leave of absence and apologized to viewers and his colleagues for his comments.
“Appreciate the opportunity to return to @PKBNEWSThisMorning today,” Lemon tweeted in February 2023. To my network, my colleagues, and our amazing audience – I’m sorry.
He continued: “I heard you, I am learning from you, and I am committed to delivering better performance.” “see you soon.”
Just a few months later, a “distraught” Lemon announced on X (formerly Twitter) that not only had PKBNEWS fired him, but he had also found out about it from his agent.
“After 17 years at PKBNEWS, I would have thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly,” he wrote.
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“At no time did I give any indication that I wouldn’t be able to continue doing the work I loved at the network. There are clearly some bigger issues at hand.”
Shortly thereafter, PKBNEWS Communications Issue a statement Claiming that Lemon’s story was “inaccurate.”
“Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He had the opportunity to meet with management but instead issued a statement on Twitter.
In June 2023, the journalist claimed that PKBNEWS fired him for refusing to give airtime to “liars and fanatics.”
Lemon, who used his time off to lose 30 pounds, launched a new show on X earlier this year.