Don Lemon Not Leaving CNN, Just Renaming Show
CNN host Don Lemon has said the name of his show is changing after insisting that he was not leaving the network following reaction to him talking about an "end of an era."
On Friday's broadcast of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, Lemon said: "It's been really, really great. This is the last night that will be CNN Tonight with Don Lemon."
Prior to this he had tweeted about an "announcement about the show" and an "end of an era."
He also told fellow CNN host Chris Cuomo there would be "more to come" on the changes over the weekend.
After reaction to his comments online, he shared a video in which he said: "So I got back down to my office after the show—everybody calm down.
"I didn't say I was leaving CNN, I just said it was the end of an era for CNN Tonight with Don Lemon. I'm not leaving CNN, so you will have to tune in Monday at 10 o'clock to see. That's it. So relax. I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving."
Alongside this video, shared to his 1.3 million Twitter followers, he wrote: "Hey everyone. Not what you think. I'm not leaving CNN. Tune in for the handoff on Monday at 10pE and I'll explain." He also shared the clip on Instagram.
In a subsequent tweet on Saturday, he detailed that the change is a new name for his show.
"Didn't mean to set the internet on fire. What I said last night was true. CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is no more. I'll be back on Monday with my newly named show Don Lemon Tonight. See you Monday at 10pE," he tweeted. The tweet has more than 3,000 likes and 276 retweets at time of writing.
Didn’t mean to set the internet on fire. What I said last night was true. CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is no more. I’ll be back on Monday with my newly named show Don Lemon Tonight. See you Monday at 10pE. pic.twitter.com/89GFXULV9m
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) May 15, 2021
He posted the same message on Instagram, alongside a new logo. That post has more than 7,000 likes at time of writing.
In response to this, fans spoke of relief that his show as continuing.
A spokesperson for CNN directed Newsweek to this statement when asked for comment.
They added that the name is the only change. Other aspects are to remain the same.
CNN Tonight with Don Lemon first aired in 2014 and is on weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Lemon's bio on CNN says he joined the network in September 2006.
In addition to hosting Tonight, Lemon serves as a correspondent across other CNN programming. As well as this, he has moderated political town halls and co-moderated the first 2020 Democratic Presidential Debate for CNN.
