Neil Cavuto leaving Fox News Channel after 28 years

Neil Cavuto, one of the first hires at Fox News Channel in July 1996 and its most prominent business anchor over that 28-year run, is leaving the network.

Fox said in a statement, that read in part, "we’re extremely proud of his incredible 28-year run with Fox News Media. His programs have defined business news and set the standard for the entire industry. We wish him a heartfelt farewell and all the best for his next chapter."

An FNC representative declined to comment further. Cavuto — who also declined to comment — is expected to address his departure on his long-running business program, "Your World with Neil Cavuto," at 4 p.m. The Los Angeles Times reported that his final day will be Thursday.

In the summer of 1996, Westbury-raised Cavuto, 66, joined what was then a high-risk venture without a Manhattan cable outlet and looking to unseat a then-mighty CNN. But as part of the original crew, he brought the new network some instant credibility, as a veteran business news anchor at CNBC, which he had also joined at launch, in 1989.

Respected and popular with viewers over the ensuing decades, Cavuto — who has multiple sclerosis, and has battled other health challenges over the years, including a second bout with COVID, which forced him off the air for an extended period two years ago — emerged as something of an outlier among Fox personalities. Most notably, he was at times critical of Donald Trump during his first administration, and during the runup to the last election. Mediaite, the website that covers cable news and first reported Cavuto's exit, said Fox had offered him a new contract "which he declined to accept."