'CNN This Morning' Co-Hosts Address Don Lemon's Dramatic Exit on First Day Without Him: 'We Wish Him the Best'

The co-hosts ofCNN This Morningreturned to the air Tuesday for the first time sinceDon Lemon’sexit from the networkwas announced on Monday, remarking on the bombshell story and saying they wish their now-former co-worker well “in his future endeavors.”

“We do begin with news about this show,” co-hostPoppy Harlowsaid at the top of the hour. “As you may have heard yesterday, CNN parted ways with anchor Don Lemon.”

Harlow then read from the official statement from CNN CEO Chris Licht, which thanked Don for his contributions over the past 17 years and read, in part: “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”

“Absolutely, of course Don was a big part of the show over the last six months,” co-hostKaitlan Collinsadded. “He was one of the first anchors on CNN to have me on his show. That’s something I’ll obviously never forget. I agree with Chris. We wish him the best.”

Kaitlan Collins, Poppy Harlow.Paul Morigi/Getty; Randy Brooke/Getty

Harlow added: “Yeah, we certainly do. Don was one of my first friends here at CNN. I’m so thankful to have worked alongside him and for his support for nearly 15 years here, and I wish him all good things ahead.”

Harlow, 40, and Collins, 30, had co-hosted the show alongside Lemon since its creation in November 2022.

Don Lemon.ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime,” Lemon said during the segment, which aired in February. “Sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”

But on Monday,Lemon, 57, was oustedfrom the network in an announcement that stunned not only viewers but also the anchor himself, who claimed his agent was tasked with telling him the news.

“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” he noted on Twitter.

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Soon after Lemon’s tweet,CNN pushed backon how his termination unfolded.

“Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate,” CNN Communications tweeted. “He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”

source: people.com