In an early Wednesday evening stunner, longtime Fox News political analyst Juan Williams announced that, effectively immediately, he was departing as co-host of The Five ahead of its June 1 return to in-studio shows, but will remain a devoted member of the Fox family and appear from the D.C. bureau on other Fox shows.
Williams made the call at the start of The Five’s “One More Thing” segment: “This is my last day hosting The Five. COVID taught me a lot of lessons. As the show goes back to the New York studio, I’ll be staying in D.C. I will be working for Fox out of Washington. My work as a Fox News political analyst will continue.”
He added that, in his seven years as a co-host, “[t]he show’s popularity has grown every single year so thank you. Thank you so much, to you, the viewers. Thank you.”
Thinking that was the end of it (and presumably the segment would move along), co-host Dana Perino informed him that wouldn’t “be it” as “[w]e have a little something for you” in the form of a video tribute of the light-hearted moments on the show and moments of bonding between the co-hosts (including the time Williams ran into co-host Jesse Watters at a Black Eyed Peas concert).
After that went on for a few minutes, Perino said that it’s been “a real honor and a pleasure to work with you, Juan and we’re glad that, you know, you made a good decision for yourself and for your family and you will be missed and — but, you know, not too far away,” adding that she’d “bet you are going to be on” her other show in America's Newsroom.
“Maybe not Watters World, but I’m going to miss you, Juan. And — and maybe we’ll see each other at the Black Eyed Peas concert,” added Watters.
Williams then signed off and tossed to Special Report and host Bret Baier:
WILLIAMS: Alright, that's it for us. Special Report is up next. Hey, Bret! I’m going to see you around the Washington bureau.
BAIER: Hey, Juan, congratulations. We welcome you in D.C. with open arms. Come on back.
WILLIAMS: Thank you so much.
In a statement released after the announcement, Fox News VP for The Five and weekend programming Megan Albano released a statement that thanked Williams “for his commitment to the show and its success over the last several years.”
As for the reasoning behind his departure, she wrote that Williams has “decided to stay in Washington, DC permanently” and FNC has “accommodated his request, understanding and appreciating his desire to remain closer to his family and recognizing that a remote co-hosting role on a roundtable in-studio program was not a long-term option.”
To check out the relevant FNC transcript from May 26, click “expand.”
FNC’s The Five
May 26, 2021
5:56 p.m. EasternJUAN WILLIAMS: It’s time now for One More Thing and I have an announcement. This is my last day hosting The Five. COVID taught me a lot of lessons. As the show goes back to the New York studio, I’ll be staying in D.C. I will be working for Fox out of Washington. My work as a Fox News political analyst will continue. You know, it’s been going on seven years since I have been a daily host of this show. The show’s popularity has grown every single year so thank you. Thank you so much, to you, the viewers. Thank you.
DANA PERINO: Juan —
JESSE WATTERS: Aw.
PERINO: — Juan, Juan, Juan, okay, wait, Juan, that's not going to be it.
WILLIAMS: Yes?
PERINO: We have a little something —
WILLIAMS: No?
PERINO: — for you. Watch, everyone.
WILLIAMS: Okay.
[Juan Williams video tribute]
PERINO: It's a real honor and A pleasure to work with you, Juan. And we’re glad that, you know, you made a good decision for yourself and for your family and you will be missed and — but, you know, not too far away. I bet you are going to be on America's Newsroom.
WILLIAMS: Alright.
WATTERS: Maybe not Watters World, but I’m going to miss you, Juan. And — and maybe we’ll see each other at the Black Eyed Peas concert.
PERINO: Ah.
GREG GUTFELD: Ugh.
WILLIAMS: That was fun.
GREG GUTFELD: Still a terrible.
PERINO: Thank you, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Alright, that's it for us. Special Report is up next. Hey, Bret! I’m going to see you around the Washington bureau.
BRET BAIER: Hey, Juan, congratulations. We welcome you in D.C. with open arms. Come on back.
WILLIAMS: Thank you so much.
