Sean Hannity is officially the longest-running primetime cable news host in TV history. April 21, 2022 marks 25 consecutive years, six months and 15 days at the helm of a primetime cable news program, breaking the previous record held by the late CNN talk icon Larry King.
Hannity has hosted a primetime show on Fox News since the launch of the network in 1996 and has solo-hosted a Fox News show in primetime—either at 10 p.m. or 9 p.m.—since January 2009.
“Sean’s authenticity and insightful commentary have created one of the most enduring connections with our audience and it’s been an honor to watch him over the years. A Fox News original, he has helped innovate the industry and we are incredibly proud of his extraordinary success,” Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement.
“I am extremely grateful to Fox News Media and to our loyal, dedicated viewers whom I am proud to serve every night,” Hannity added.
Hannity’s first Fox News show, Hannity & Colmes with the late Alan Colmes, became the top-rated cable news show in its time slot five years after launch, beginning in 2002 in the key A25-54 demo and in 2003 in average total viewers. From 2017 to 2019, Hannity was the top-rated program in all of cable news in the key demo and marked four consecutive years as the most-watched show in total viewers (2017-2020). Most recently, Hannity ended 2021 as the No. 1 cable news show in the 9 p.m. hour—and routinely ranks in the top five programs in cable news.