Longtime Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer, the current host of Fox’s “America’s Newsroom,” has been chosen by the network to replace Shepard Smith as host of the 3 p.m. news hour.
He will start his afternoon news show on Jan. 20 and will also serve as the network’s breaking news chief.
Fox News’ President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace, in a press release, said Hemmer will leave his 9 a.m. time slot alongside Sandra Smith on “America’s Newsroom.” The new 3 p.m. show will be called “Bill Hemmer Reports.”
Hemmer added in the press release: “As a journalist, l am extremely grateful for this opportunity. 2020 will undoubtedly be a year of great significance. Leading our breaking news division with a signature hour has enormous value to me, personally, and to our audience. We’ve got a fantastic team here and I am excited to get to work.”
Smith announced that he would be leaving Fox News in October, saying it was a voluntary decision.
Smith was the network’s chief news anchor and was its breaking news managing editor. He joined in 1996.
He added: “I’ve worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I’m proud to have anchored their work each day—I will deeply miss them.”
Under his agreement with Fox, Smith said he won’t “be able to report elsewhere at least in the near future.”
On Monday afternoon, Hemmer’s appointment was praised by several of his Fox News colleagues
“He is truly one of the best in the business!” tweeted news anchor Shannon Bream. “@BillHemmer is a good egg inside and out. Bravo!”
