Fox News Taps Lawrence Jones as Co-Host of ‘Fox & Friends’

In a change to its morning show, Fox News is adding Lawrence Jones as a co-anchor of Fox & Friends, where he will join longtime hosts Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade and Ainsley Earhardt on weekday mornings.

Jones will also continue in his role as the program’s enterprise reporter. His weekend show Lawrence Jones Cross Country will end with his new promotion, with Kilmeade taking over the 9 p.m. Saturday time slot.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• Fox News Extends Bret Baier's Contract

• Megyn Kelly Re-Ups at SiriusXM, Sets Trump Interview

• Cable News Finally Seeks Exit From Pay TV Bundle

“I am honored to become a part of the cable news legacy Fox News has created with Fox & Friends, the very show where I made my first ever national television appearance,” Jones said in a statement. “It is truly a privilege to inform our audience every day and I can’t wait to do so each morning.”

Fox says that Jones, 30, is the “youngest Black co-host in cable news” with the promotion. Doocy and Kilmeade have co-hosted the morning show since 1998, while Earhardt joined in 2016. Former co-hosts include Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Gretchen Carlson.

Jones is the latest example of Fox making tweaks to its lineup, following its primetime reshuffling this summer, which was made after the ouster of 8 p.m. host Tucker Carlson in the spring. Dan Bongino and Steve Hilton also left Fox’s weekend lineup, with the channel expanding Mark Levin’s hours. And earlier this week, the channel extended anchor Bret Baier’s contract.

And he is also the latest tweak in the TV news morning show wars, where Fox & Friends has long been the cable news leader (ABC’s Good Morning America has won the broadcast morning battle of late). While MSNBC’s Morning Joe has been stable, CNN added Phil Mattingly and Kasie Hunt earlier this summer. NBC’s Today show added Laura Jarrett as a co-anchor, and will move the program from Washington, D.C., back to New York.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

• 'The Vampire Diaries' Cast, Then and Now

• 10 Shows Like 'Suits' That Are Packed With Legal Drama

• 'Ahsoka': 15 Key Episodes From Previous 'Star Wars' Series to Watch Before the Disney+ Premiere

Click here to read the full article.