Alan Colmes To Leave "Hannity & Colmes," Will Not Be Replaced

Update: While the blogosphere has been buzzing with suggestions for who should replace Alan Colmes, who is relinquishing his role as one half of Fox News' 9PM duo, Colmes' co-host will be moving forward with the program solo, reports the New York Times' Brian Stelter:

While the network remained quiet about its plans for the political debate program, two people close to the network said that Sean Hannity, 46, Mr. Colmes's conservative counterpart for the last 12 years, would become the sole host of the hour. The people requested anonymity while speaking about private deliberations.

Original Post: Fox News host Alan Colmes will leave his role as co-host of "Hannity & Colmes" at the end of the year, the network announced Monday.

Colmes, who has co-hosted the program with Sean Hannity for 12 years, will remain with the network as a liberal commentator and will develop a weekend program, in addition to his radio show.

"I approached Bill Shine (FNC's Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network," Colmes said. "Although it's bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I'm proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years."

Hannity added, "Not only has Alan been a remarkable co-host, he's been a great friend which is rare in this industry -- I'll genuinely miss sparring with such a skillful debate partner."

Earlier this year, Colmes debuted his blog, Alan Colmes' LiberalLand.

Update: Colmes tells TVNewser that Obama's victory plus wide Democratic margins in Congress paved the way for him to leave:

"It's a great creative opportunity for me. I feel as though we have a Democratic President, House and Senate; I feel like my work is done," he tells TVNewser. "I can't think of a better time to make the transition."

Full press release below:

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ALAN COLMES TO DEPART TOP RATED HANNITY & COLMES

FOX News Channel's (FNC) Alan Colmes will relinquish his role as co-host of Hannity & Colmes at the end of the year.

In announcing his decision, Colmes said, "I approached Bill Shine (FNC's Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network. Although it's bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I'm proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years."

Colmes will continue to have a presence on FNC as he will serve as a liberal commentator on a variety of FOX News programming, including Foxnews.com's The Strategy Room and continue hosting his radio program, The Alan Colmes Show on FOX Talk, a division of FOX News Radio. He will also begin developing a weekend program.

Shine said, "We're very sorry to see Alan reach this decision but we understand his desire to seek other creative challenges in his career. We value his incredible hard work in making Hannity & Colmes the most successful debate program on cable news and we're going to miss him on the show. Thankfully, he will begin developing a weekend pilot for us."

FOX News Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Roger Ailes added, "Alan is one of the key reasons why FOX News has been such a remarkable success. We're sad to see him leave the program but we look forward to his ongoing contributions to the network."

Hannity & Colmes is the only FNC program which has remained in the same timeslot for 12 years, catapulting to number one in 2003 and never relinquishing the top spot. The second highest-rated program in cable news behind only The O'Reilly Factor, Hannity & Colmes averaged 3.3 million viewers nightly for the Nielsen month of October and is poised to mark 60 consecutive months at number one at the end of November.

Hannity added, "Not only has Alan been a remarkable co-host, he's been a great friend which is rare in this industry -- I'll genuinely miss sparring with such a skillful debate partner."

Throughout his 12 year tenure on Hannity & Colmes, Colmes has interviewed numerous key political figures, including: President Elect Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), DNC Chairman Howard Dean and former Vice President Al Gore.

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour general news service covering breaking news as well as political, entertainment and business news. For nearly seven years, FNC has been the most watched cable news channel in the nation. Owned by News Corp., FNC is available in more than 90 million homes.

Comments

[GregorZap]

"It's a great creative opportunity for me. I feel as though we have a Democratic President, House and Senate; I feel like my work is done," he tells TVNewser. "I can't think of a better time to make the transition­."

What work?

[monicaangela]

What transition?

[deliziosa]

Surely this will be the end of his career!! Yes, a few million may find Hannity's whiney high-pitched toddler rants tolerable for 3-4 hours a day on the radio, and then again "face 2 face" primetime, but surely no one will be willing to watch this sad excuse for an American without the sometimes balance of his more rational half... right?

[lentinelia]

No change here.

Hannity was the sole host anyway.

Colmes could only get in a few words or two before being blanketed by the overpowering fog bellowing from Hannity's oral cavity.

[jdfast]

I just threw up a little in my mouth. SH is just what the base needs. A cheerleader for the mouth breathers and the rest of the bigots that make up the republican party.

[donveylindsey]

donvey lindsey may you be successful in what ever you do

[2008FedUP]

DAMN! Now I getta upgrade to a bigger flat screen for his head to fit in. The more lies he tells the bigger it gets. Hannochio!

[StevenJay]

I hope Mr. Colmes got a big fat pay check for playing 'the stooge' for 12 years.

[libbygirl]

Hasn't he always been the sole host?! Alan was just a prop anyway.

[KevinFletcherTweedy]

Exactly! (I loved how Al Franken down-sized the typeface for "Colmes" in his book. A not-so-subtle way of indicating the relative ""weight" of the FOX "fair and balanced" promotional phrase. Go AL!)

FOX "News" continues to be a joke.

[metatron1970]

I liked the analysis of Hannity & Colmes that was given in "Outfoxed": the supposedly "liberal" member of the panel is bespectacled, wimpy, and looks like a squirrel contrasted with the All-American college athlete good looks of the show's true star, tailor-made to flatter reactionaries for whom Fox News skillfully markets its product. They're both just playing out their roles. Hannity might actually be stupid enough to take his ideas seriously.

It's going to be interesting to see what's going to happen to Fox News now that Obama will be in power. Certainly one of the signs of an Obama administration is going to be its attempt to reach across party and ideological lines. The divisiveness that has typified most of these hot air shows will most likely go the way of the dinosaur. I'm hoping people will grow weary of hearing pundits blowing their hot air and engaging in nonstop bickering.

[RaraAvis17]

Oh right - there's your fair and balanced oxymoron 'InSannity Solo'? What a joke. This guy will just get worse and more UnAmerican than he already is - if that is possible. At least put Rush on his show for a few days a week so they can try to out do the other one and hopefully d|e trying.

[Norak]

And let Karl Rove and Dick Morris be the visiting stars!

[greenmonk]

He's been getting a little to uppity during this last election with Hannity's guests. He began to stray from Murdoch's instructions about playing the role of the bumbling impotent liberal.

Now the sheeple can have pure unadulterated stream of Reich Wing propaganda beamed directly to them without the little liberal gnat buzzing around occasionally.

[Opinionater]

Now who will offer some cheese to go with his whine?

[kothian1]

I'm sure it will have all the impact of Sonny leaving Cher.

[IndependentBadger]

How could it be any other way? ANY replacement would suddenly reveal how pathetic Colmes was, and showcase the degree of farce here. Hannity couldn't have had it any easier than Colmes. Literally ANYONE else would either wreck the show by inciting Hannity to anger, or wreck it by pissing off the conservatives who love the fake "fight" that is staged for them every week.

It would be like watching a professional wrestler get replaced by an actual Olympian who tried to win, regardless of the "script".

[ToughEnough]

Colmes was a good debater, I'm sure the liberals will find a suitable replacement. In fact there are many liberals out there who are master debaters.

[truth2008]

Sean Insanity is a menace to society! Colmes didn't do a good job debating Insanity, he allowed Insanity to spew his lies and venom!