Medhi Hasan stated that he’s leaving MSNBC after the community cancelled his weekend present.
“I’ve determined that it’s time for me to search for a brand new problem,” he stated on the finish of his program on Sunday.
The community shuffled its weekend lineup final yr, dropping his weekend present whereas saying that he would stay as a commentator and fill-in anchor. Along with his onerous hitting interview, he had been thought-about a rising star. However his commentary, significantly about Israel, has sparked controversy. That included a contentious interview earlier this month with Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sunday’s episode was his remaining present, and he instructed viewers, “As we start 2024, with an election coming, a conflict nonetheless ongoing, and too many Trump trials actually to even hold observe of, and with this present going away, I’ve determined it’s time for me to search for a brand new problem. Tonight it isn’t simply my remaining episode of The Mehdi Hasan Present, it’s my final day with MSNBC. Sure, I’ve determined to depart. To be clear. I’m so proud, so pleased with what we have now achieved on this present, on this community.” He instructed viewers that they might proceed to observe him on-line.
When the weekend lineup plans had been introduced in late November, his present’s cancellation got here as a shock, on condition that his interviews had drawn quite a lot of viral moments. His present has not been a scores blockbuster — it averaged about 520,000 viewers in October — however the community usually promoted that it beat rival CNN in its time slot.
MSNBC host Chris Hayes wrote on Threads on the time, “The character of this enterprise is that people who find themselves supremely proficient typically have exhibits cancelled. It’s tough each time, however it comes with the territory (lord is aware of I’ve been shut myself!)” He went on to name Hasan “one of the proficient broadcast journalists I’ve ever seen or labored with and possibly the one finest interviewer in American TV. Grateful to have him as a colleague.”
Hasan joined the community in 2021, after serving as a presenter on Al Jazeera’s English channel and a podcast host for The Intercept.
MSNBC has not commented, however Ayman Mohyeldin will host the hour subsequent week as he expands his internet hosting duties. He’ll now be anchoring for 4 hours on weekends.
