CNN could replace John King with ex-wife Dana Bash on ‘Inside Politics’: report
Ratings-challenged CNN is reportedly considering replacing longtime “Inside Politics” anchor John King with his ex-wife, network veteran and anchor Dana Bash.
CNN, which is in the midst of major changes under president Chris Licht, is “looking to shake up its daily ‘Inside Politics’ show by likely replacing anchor John King with CNN’s chief political correspondent Dana Bash,” the Daily Beast’s Confider media newsletter reported on Monday.
The report noted that a change, if it goes forward, “would be doubly notable” given the past relationship between the two anchors. King, 59, and Bash separated in 2012 after four years of marriage and have one child together.
King, CNN’s chief national correspondent, has hosted the weekday edition of “Inside Politics” since 2014. The show airs weekdays at noon.
Bash, 51, serves as co-anchor alongside Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union,” which airs on Sunday mornings. Aside from her anchoring duties, Bash is also the network’s chief political correspondent.
The Post has reached out to CNN representatives for comment on the report.
Licht has ordered major changes to CNN’s programming in recent months while leading an effort to bolster the network’s sagging ratings. The CNN boss and WarnerBros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav are nudging the network away from its past focus on opinion-based shows in favor of centrist, fact-driven content.
The most notable changes occurred to CNN’s morning programing block. Licht shifted Don Lemon out of his primetime slot and installed him as a co-anchor of “CNN This Morning,” alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
“CNN This Morning” has struggled to attract an audience as tensions rise between the co-anchors. Lemon faced a major backlash earlier this year after making sexist remarks on-air about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. He later apologized.
More recently, Lemon faced scrutiny over a Variety reported on allegations that he had engaged in workplace misogyny over a period of decades — with notable clashes with former co-workers Soledad O’Brien, Kyra Phillips and Nancy Grace.
Earlier this week, Licht admitted that Lemon has been a “lightning rod” for controversy.
“Don Lemon is a lightning rod because he really came to prominence during an era where that was celebrated and encouraged in prime time,” Licht told Semafor’s Ben Smith at an event.
As The Post reported, Collins was tapped to host CNN’s coveted 9 p.m. hour this week in a move that sparked speculation that another lineup change could be on the horizon.
