Far-left MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan announced he was leaving the network Sunday, just over a month after the liberal network canceled his weekly talk show as part of a wider shake-up of its weekend lineup.
Hasan, who caused controversy criticizing Israel’s war on Hamas, was initially set to remain with the network as an on-camera analyst and fill-in host but announced he was quitting on the final episode of his show.
He briefly referenced the war and the current state of the world and America as he confirmed the decision.
‘As we begin 2024, with an election coming, a war still ongoing, and too many Trump trials honestly to even keep track of, and with this show going away, I’ve decided that it’s time for me to look for a new challenge,’ he said.
‘Tonight is not just my final episode of the Mehdi Hasan Show, it’s my last day with MSNBC. Yes, I’ve decided to leave.’
Far-left MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan announced he was leaving the network Sunday, just over a month after the liberal network canceled his weekly talk show as part of a wider shake-up of its weekend lineup
Hasan said he was choosing to go in a new direction rather than remain with the left-wing cable news station.
‘To be clear: I’m so, so proud of what we’ve achieved on this show, on this network, and I can’t thank you all enough for tuning in and for your support and feedback. But as I say, new year, new plans.’
MSNBC weeknight host Chris Hayes saluted Hasan on X, writing: ‘A huge loss for us. An exceptional host and colleague.’
The Sunday night slot will be replaced with a second hour of a show hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin. Hasan has also lost his show on the Peacock streaming service.
Hasan was hired by the network to host the Sunday night show in 2021 and become one of the network’s most outspoken liberal critics.
The cancellation comes after Hasan’s strong on air criticism of Israel provoked backlash online.
Earlier in November, Hasan clashed with Mark Regev, Senior Adviser to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him ‘your government kills children.’
The presenter was also facing pressure after homophobic and offensive comments, including likening gay people to ‘pedophiles’ and non-Muslims to ‘animals,’ circulated online, Fox News reported.
MSNBC cancelled Hasan’s show as part of a wider shake-up of its weekend lineup.
In 2019 Hasan addressed previous controversial comments he had made
‘We know that keeping the moral high ground is key. Once we lose the moral high ground, we are no different from the rest of the non-Muslims, from the rest of those human beings who live their lives as animals, bending any rule to fulfill any desire,’ Hasan said in an unearthed clip from 2009.
Hasan previously addressed the controversy when it resurfaced in 2019.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, the journalist said ‘Like a lot of journos (humans?) I’ve said things years ago that I now deeply regret.
‘Chief among them for me is, more than a decade ago, in my 20s, when I wasn’t a public figure, I gave a bunch of speeches to students on Islam/extremism. And I said dumb offensive ranty stuff.
‘Speaking without notes, & trying to be bombastic, I made stupid sweeping remarks about non-Muslims, especially atheists.
‘I cringe now when I rehear/reread those remarks. I made stupid offensive analogies to animals. Argh. I’m embarrassed to have to write about all this again.’
Hasan, who caused controversy criticizing Israel’s war on Hamas, was initially set to remain with the network as an on-camera analyst and fill-in host but announced he was quitting on the final episode of his show
Hasan was hired by the network to host the Sunday night show in 2021 and become one of the network’s most outspoken liberal critics
He added: ‘Growing up in a conservative faith community, where you didn’t interact with *actual* gay people, I ended up making insensitive remarks, that I’ve apologized for before.’
In a note to staff in late November, MSNBC President Rashida Jones said the changes were made ‘to better position ourselves as we head into the presidential election.’
MSNBC lost 33 percent of its primetime viewers during its coverage of the Israel Hamas war.
The outlet’s viewer figures were down 24 percent overall for the four days between October 7 and 10 which saw the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.
By comparison the shocking events saw a leap in Fox News’s audience, up 42 percent, and at CNN, which saw a 17 percent rise in viewers.