Former Fox News star Bill O’Reilly is likely coming back to cable news at his 8:00pm Eastern timeslot, insiders say — but not at Fox News.
The New York Post reported Tuesday that O’Reilly’s team is involved in “advanced negotiations” for the veteran newsman to return to primetime on Newsmax TV, a year after his abrupt removal from his former position.
O’Reilly isn’t the only former Fox News star that Newsmax TV is negotiating with, either. According to reports, the network is planning to surround O’Reilly with top conservative talent.
The cable news channel is persuing former anchors Greta Van Susteren and Eric Bolling, as well as former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer to lead a late-night panel discussion program.
“The deals are not done yet, but talks are in the advanced stages, certainly with O’Reilly. The thinking is, following a 6 p.m. news show, Greta would anchor the 7 p.m. hour, O’Reilly would be back at 8 p.m., and Bolling could smoothly continue on at 9 p.m. Spicer and his cohorts would go on at 10 p.m., with the later slot allowing the show to be looser. But the deals are not yet signed and sealed,” the insider told The Post’s Page Six.
The move would put Newsmax in direct competition with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson. Reports say that Newsmax executives want their show to be a “kindler, gentler” conservative news channel.
Since being removed from Fox News in 2017, O’Reilly has worked on his “No Spin Zone” website and has produced a half-hour internet program and popular podcast.
He’s also appeared on Sean Hannity’s program a number of times, as well as hosted a number of Newsmax TV specials.