Bill O’Reilly Respects Fox News’s Decision to Let Him Go, But Is Critical of the Way it Was Done

By A.J. Katz 

As he begins his book tour for his latest book, Killing England, Bill O’Reilly will not have the powerful platform that helped sell his 6 other Killing books, his hugely popular Fox News show.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Marisa Guthrie sat down with O’Reilly to talk about the book, his abrupt departure from Fox News in May and his former colleague Megyn Kelly.

“I’m not going to say anything bad about Fox News. I have 20 years, six months in there, and I think it would be untoward for me to say anything negative about Fox News,” said O’Reilly. “They’re still a very strong brand, and they still have great correspondents, and their presentation is very, very professional.”

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THR:When the allegations surfaced in April and the Murdochs were debating your fate, did you have any direct conversations with Rupert, James or Lachlan?

O’Reilly: No. I’m never going to comment on any of that stuff. My lawyers are going to deal with that, and I am never going to say anything.

THR: Your 20-year career at Fox News was gone in two weeks. How did that make you feel?

O’Reilly: That wasn’t what was bothering me. I’ve had a terrific career, and I’m a lucky guy, and I’m not, you know, one of these guys that wants to hang on to the cliffs. You don’t want me working for you, that’s fine. They made a decision. It was purely a business decision. But the way it was done, I’m over in Rome [on vacation]. My [legal] team was caught by surprise because we had an amazing amount of exculpatory stuff that we had presented. And it just — it was sad. That’s the word, sad.

O’Reilly also stood up for his former FNC colleague Megyn Kelly in the wake of criticism she’s received since joining NBC News. “I feel bad for her because it’s the same old game; you build them up and tear them down. I mean, what has Megyn Kelly done wrong? I don’t get [the media criticism]. She worked her way up from being a reporter, and now she’s making good money, and she’s in a good position. So what has she done wrong?”

As he promised last month, O’Reilly is planning on being on CNN with Michael Smerconish. We’ve reached out to his publisher Henry Holt to find out what other TV appearances O’Reilly will be making.

Update: TVNewser has learned that O’Reilly will be joining The Hill’s Joe Concha for a half hour-long interview when Concha guest hosts for Hugh Hewitt next Thursday on Salem Radio Networks.

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