CNN to supply Don Lemon’s former co-host Kaitlan Collins primetime slot: report
CNN plans to supply former chief White Home correspondent Kaitlan Collins their primetime 9 p.m. timeslot and a brand new contract, a report stated Wednesday.
Collins — a former co-host with Don Lemon and a favourite of CNN CEO Chris Licht — might discover herself within the function beforehand as quickly as subsequent week, in keeping with a report by Punk News.
The report got here simply hours earlier than Collins was set to reasonable a 90-minute city corridor occasion with former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire as Trump seeks the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
The occasion, which is predicted to be broadly watched nationwide, will thrust the spectacular 31-year-old CNN “It girl” into the highlight, in keeping with Puck Information.
“Kaitlan’s provide is just not contingent on her efficiency at tonight’s city corridor, however, given the Trump X-factor, these 90 minutes have the potential to switch, speed up, or stifle the arc of her profession,” Puck Information’ Dylan Byers told Mediatite.
“On the very least, her efficiency tonight will set the tone for a brand new Collins period at CNN, which, barring any fuck-ups, will run not less than via the 2024 presidential election.”
She most just lately anchored the 9 p.m. news hour last month. At the moment, a supply near Collins denied to The Submit that the transfer is a “trial run” to completely helm the 9 p.m. present. Nonetheless, one other insider stated, “Something is feasible.”
“I believe it’s truthful to say Chris Licht and management have been impressed,” stated a supply near community boss Licht of the rising star, who had served as CNN’s youngest chief White Home correspondent.
“She’s his favourite,” added one other supply, who stated Collins has rapidly develop into CNN’s “It lady,” a lot to the frustration of some community veterans together with the since-fired Don Lemon.
Lemon notoriously screamed at Collins in December after he claimed he interrupted her throughout a tense broadcast of “CNN This Morning.” The incident rattled workers and upset higher-ups, together with Licht who was reportedly appalled at Lemon’s conduct.
A Lemon confidant informed The Submit that he “didn’t like” the truth that Collins had labored for the conservative website The Daily Caller earlier than becoming a member of CNN in 2017. Lemon was fired final month after 17 years on the community following quite a few scandals, together with accusations of sexism.
If Collins accepts the provide, she would fill the function beforehand held by Chris Cuomo.
Cuomo was fired by the struggling cable news outfit in late 2021 after it was discovered he was serving to his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, fight sexual harassment allegations made by ex-aides.