7 Talk Show Hosts Who Were Forced Off The Air

After Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension dominated headlines, see which other hosts — from Sharon Osbourne to Megyn Kelly — who have also been canceled for their controversial words or actions.

From early morning programs to late-night talk shows, the celebrities who host our favorite series often provide a reprieve from the hard-hitting news of the day. And while monologues are filled with jokes and interviews are often lighthearted, some of these talk show hosts find themselves in serious trouble. Whether they say something on air that doesn’t sit well with the audience or their conduct doesn’t align with what the network expects, there have been quite a few hosts ousted from their shows through the years. While it’s sometimes just a temporary suspension, other times it’s for good — and those stars never return to the public eye.

Find out why these hosts got banned from their own shows…

Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily forced off the air after making controversial comments about Charlie Kirk’s murder that were deemed inappropriate by the FCC. The host was suspended “indefinitely” by ABC and taken off the air by Nexstar Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group, two of the largest owners of TV stations in the country. The situation sparked a debate about free speech in the media and in the days that followed, Jimmy was subject to backlash from many of Charlie’s supporters. He also simultaneously received support from thousands of fans around the world, as well as several unexpected politicians, including Ted Cruz.

Following in-depth talks between Jimmy and ABC’s parent company Disney, it was decided that he would be allowed to return to the show after less than a week of suspension. On the night of his return, Jimmy delivered a powerful monologue about freedom of speech — and expressed his condolences to Charlie’s family.

“I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human, and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” Jimmy said in his speech. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”

Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes

In 2022, Good Morning America viewers were shocked to learn that hosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were romantically involved while still legally married to other people. The scandal made headlines — even though sources claim both Amy and T.J. were privately separated from their respective spouses. Although ABC acknowledged that the pair hadn’t violated any company policies with their relationship, they were said to be causing a distraction and ultimately forced out of their roles.

The situation was incredibly taxing on the couple, who believe they “lost the jobs we love because we love each other” and then went “through a year of hell” as they were publicly shamed and criticized. While they didn’t get their jobs back, the pair now hosts their own podcast together.

Billy Bush

Billy Bush was ousted from his role as a Today show host in 2016 after a controversial audio surfaced of the anchor having a lewd conversation with Donald Trump in 2005. On the tape, Billy could be heard egging Trump on as he ogled a woman in a purple dress and talked about his sexual conquests. In the aftermath, Billy lost his job, and meanwhile, Trump was elected president.

Looking back, Billy says he interviewed Trump frequently in the early 2000s, especially while working as an entertainment correspondent for NBC. He says that since Trump was so popular on the network at the time, he “sort of” had no choice but to “kiss ass.”

“You can interrupt him and then you know how volatile he is, right, so he’d be like, ‘I hate Billy Bush, he’s done, moving on, Entertainment Tonight only, forget Billy Bush.’ And then I have to explain why I lost Trump, the big fish,” he said on Real Time With Bill Maher.

After receiving so much public criticism, Billy admits he wound up in a downward spiral of heavy drinking and emotional distress. Although he struggled with his mental health, Billy was eventually able to build back his reputation and was later hired by Extra.

Matt Lauer

In 2017, Matt Lauer was fired from his longtime role hosting the Today show after a female colleague accused him of sexually harassing her. After several more alleged victims came forward, Matt issued a lengthy apology admitting to his wrongdoing — but he was not welcomed back to the show.

“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this, I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC,” he said in a statement.

Matt has not returned to hosting or working as a journalist and is living life outside of the spotlight.

Megyn Kelly

Megyn Kelly’s entire talk show was canceled after she made controversial comments about the use of blackface. During a conversation about offensive Halloween costumes, Megyn shared that she felt that political correctness had “gone amok” and debated what should be considered truly racist, including blackface. Her guests — including Melissa Rivers, Jacob Soboroff, and Jenna Bush Hager — all disagreed, as did the public. The following day, she issued a formal apology.

“I want to begin with two words: I’m sorry…I learned that given the history of blackface being used in awful ways in this country, it is not okay for that to be part of any costume, Halloween or otherwise. I have never been a PC kind of person, but I do understand the value in being sensitive to our history, particularly on race and ethnicity,” Megyn said on her show.

Despite her apology, Megyn Kelly Today was canceled just days later. She is now the host of The Megyn Kelly Show.

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin’s stint as a talk show host was short-lived after TMZ captured the actor calling a photographer what appeared to be a gay slur. While he initially received a two-week suspension and issued an apology, MSNBC eventually canceled Up Late with Alec Baldwin.

“I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have — and for that I am deeply sorry,” he said in a statement at the time. “Words are important. I understand that and will choose mine with great care going forward.”

Sharon Osbourne

Sharon Osbourne was fired from The Talk in 2021 after defending Piers Morgan’s disparaging comments about Meghan Markle, which her co-host Sheryl Underwood called racist. During the on-air discussion, Sharon shared that she supported Piers’ right to freedom of speech, even though she didn’t agree with everything he said. Sheryl challenged her view, asking if Sharon considered that she was giving “validation” to his “racist” comments. Sharon replied that she didn’t believe his words were racist and tried to defend herself.

The heated discussion continued during the commercial break and online as viewers condemned Sharon’s comments. CBS ended up putting the show on pause while conducting an internal review, which lasted for almost a month. During that time, Sharon apologized for her comments and apologized directly to Sheryl.

“To anyone of color that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry. I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over,” Sharon wrote on X. “There are very few things that hurt my heart more than racism so to feel associated with that spun me fast. I am not perfect, I am still learning like the rest of us & will continue to learn, listen and do better.”

Eventually, after discovering other racially-charged allegations against Sharon, she was fired from the show. Years later, she admitted that she regretted apologizing to Sheryl.