Megyn Kelly heading to CNN? Star host being pursued by network rival for primetime post when her contract is up in July (but they cannot match $20m offer Fox News has on the table)
- CNN is reportedly trying to get Megyn Kelly to join the network when her Fox News contract expires in July an insider tells Drudge Report
- Zucker wants Kelly to anchor either the 8pm or 9pm hour on weeknights, which is currently a two-hour block of Anderson Cooper's show
- CNN cannot however match the $20million offer Fox News has already put on the table to get Kelly to resign her contract according to one insider
- It is unclear what Kelly would get out of the move to CNN, as the network is offering less money and lags well behind Fox News in the ratings
- Rupert Murdoch has stated that he is eager to keep Kelly on at the network and hopes she will resign her contract
Megyn Kelly is coming into the final months of her contract with Fox News, and with no word yet about her future with the network speculation continues to grow that the star host may jump ship.
And now it seems that at least one network is doing all they can to try and snatch Kelly away from Fox News, with an insider telling Drudge Report that CNN President Jeff Zucker has been eyeing Kelly to join their primetime line-up when she finishes out her contract in July.
'He is moving the Himalayan mountains to get her, but they are tripped up on money. He simply can't pay her the $20 million a year Fox has on the table,' said the insider.
Zucker is reportedly hoping to have Kelly anchor a show in the 8pm or 9pm hour on the network, which would mean Anderson Cooper's two-hour block of AC360 which currently airs at both those times would be cut in half.
It is unclear what Kelly would get out of the move however, as in addition to a lower salary CNN continues to lag well behind Fox News in the ratings.
Fox News, CNN and a rep for Kelly did not respond to requests for comment.
Kelly had a busy day on Thursday, stopping by a Naples, Florida bookstore for a signing of her memoir Settle For More, which debuted atop The New York Times Best Sellers List last week in both the hardcover nonfiction and combined print and e-book nonfiction categories.
The highly anticipated memoir sold roughly 64,000 print copies in its first week, beating out new offerings from a diverse array of writers that included Bernie Sanders, Andy Cohen and Anna Kendrick.
Scroll down for video
Zucker and Kelly are already well acquainted, having been spotted together this past July when the Fox News star and her contributor pal Dana Perino stopped by the CNN Grill while in Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention.
Kelly spent the night chatting with Cooper and Zucker while also posting a photo of herself and Perino posing with CNN anchor Don Lemon, who invited her to the party.
That photo of a smiling Kelly partying with her peers was taken just hours after The New York Times reported that her co-hosts at the convention, Bret Baier and Brit Hume, were refusing to speak with her off camera over the exit of Ailes one week prior.
Fox News insiders who spoke with Drudge said that Kelly is 'despised' the other on-air talent at the network, which if true could mean that going to CNN for less money would not be that big of an issue for Kelly.
She would be getting a 'fresh break' after a tempestuous 18 months where she was attacked by everyone from President-elect Donald Trump to her former boss Roger Ailes said one insider.
What's more, she could finally go head-to-head with Bill O'Reilly, who is referred to as her 'arch-nemesis' in the story.
That is not a guarantee however, as even if she does leave Fox News to join CNN there is still a chance that O'Reilly could be leaving the network around the same time as his contract is also coming to an end.
There have been reports circulating for months as well claiming that there is little chance that both O'Reilly and Kelly would resign their contracts, though neither of the two has said anything to confirm that claim.
A news executive from a rival network told Vanity Fair in August that the bad blood between Kelly and O'Reilly had devolved to the point that one of them will likely leave when their contracts expire.
O'Reilly shot down reports of a feud between himself and Kelly in June however, telling The Hollywood Reporter: 'Oh, that’s all fabricated. She’s in a totally different part of the building. The last time I saw Megyn Kelly was in Detroit in March [at the Fox News GOP debate].'
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Fox News said at the time: '[Fox News President] Bill Shine and [Executive Vice President, Programming & Development] Suzanne Scott have maintained a close relationship with Bill and Megyn for years and have helped both of them in many instances, all while co-existing under the same roof.'
The uncertain relationship between the pair made headlines however just last month after comments O'Reilly made about Kelly during an appearance on CBS This Morning.
O'Reilly was asked during his appearance on the morning news show if Kelly might appear on his Fox News program to promote her book, to which he replied: 'I don't know. We'll see if she's going to be on the show or not. I want to be that candid. I'm not that interested in this.'
That is when anchor Norah O'Donnell, a longtime friend of O'Reilly's, cut in and asked: 'You're not interested in sexual harassment?'
A clearly annoyed and angry O'Reilly replied to this by saying: 'I'm not interested in basically litigating something that is finished that makes my network look bad. Okay?
'I'm not interested in making my network look bad at all. That doesn't interest me one bit.'
O'Reilly's seemed to be referencing the chapter in Kelly's book where she details Ailes' sexual harassment of her and her decision to cooperate with the company's investigation into its CEO this past July.
The preternaturally cool and collected Kelly responded to O'Reilly's comments the very next day, during her own appearance on CBS This Morning.
'Well I will say this, I am very proud of the fact that I discussed this with Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch before I wrote this chapter in my book, and we were all on the same page,' she said.
'And it was an important chapter to include and I am proud of them that they feel as I do, that sunlight is the best disinfectant.'
When she was then asked about O'Reilly's claim that she was making Fox News look bad, Kelly replied: 'I believe that Roger Ailes made the company look bad.'
It had been said that Kelly is set to be the center of the post-Ailes era Fox News, but Rupert Murdoch himself shot down those claims in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, saying: 'We're not changing direction ... that would be business suicide.'
Murdoch also said that he wants to make sure O'Reilly also resigns with the network when his contract is up.
That move would certainly be in his, and the company's best interest, with O'Reilly and Kelly currently hosting the top-rated programs on the network.
O'Reilly and Kelly currently have the top-rated programs on Fox News, which has been the most watched basic-cable network for 20 of the past 21 weeks.
Most Read News
Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs dies, 86: Widow pays emotional farewell as she reveals his SECRET...
Don't Miss
'I've thought about it a million times': Cheryl and Liam reveal their favourite baby names... as it ... Lisa Snowdon shares a busty bikini selfie as she reunites with evicted I'm A Celeb campmates... amid... Bradley Cooper's 'pregnant' girlfriend Irina Shayk puts on a VERY sultry display as she strips to li... 'I ate mustard and tuna before kissing Josh and Liam': Jennifer Lawrence discusses her STINKY screen... 'It was very low key': Kim Kardashian throws 'little celebration' to mark husband Kanye West's homec... From handmade Prosecco mallows to a £950 first edition of Mrs Beeton: ... 'We had a chat about babies that don't sleep!' Abbey Clancy reveals she's shared baby tips with Prin... 'My private parts expanded!' Jamie Oliver leaves little to the imagination when he reveals naked kit... Pregnant Cheryl uncovers her great-grandad's shocking secret after he fathered illegitimate twins wi... Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs dies aged 86: Widow pays emotional farewell as she reveals his secre... Curvy catwalk star Iskra Lawrence flaunts her never-ending legs in a vibrant scarlet gown at beauty... A Christmas miracle! Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian are 'giving their relationship another try... Kylie Jenner takes the plunge in red dress as she jumps into a Lamborghini with boyfriend Tyga for a... Victoria Beckham stuns in a slinky scarlet dress as she cuddles up to husband David in loved-up Inst... Wayne Bridge admits he's struggled having his relationship with wife Frankie in the public eye durin... TOWIE's Jake Hall steps out in style with stunning girlfriend Missé Beqiri for art show... as his lo... 'He's finally going to speak his mind': Jesy Nelson's ex-fiancé Jake Roche set to 'release song abou... 'We are going to have one of each!': Strictly's Anton Du Beke reveals his unborn twins are a boy and... It's a boy! Mila Kunis and husband Ashton Kutcher welcome their second child into the world Knickers shocker story! Joanna Krupa flashes her tiny underwear as she poses in revealing gown at ch... Pregnant Amanda Seyfried seen with fiance Thomas Sadoski for the first time since revealing baby joy... She's Dunn this before! Jourdan shows off her model figure in black high-waisted embroidered bikini ... Victoria's Secret is accused of creating 'racist' lingerie and 'cultural appropriation' after collec... Pucker up! Alexandra Burke flaunts her toned curves in khaki cut-out dress as handsome boyfriend&nbs... Just boot-iful! Blac Chyna highlights weight loss by flaunting robust rear in leggings on outing wit... She's purr-fect! Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik stuns with cheeky cat filter... after flaunti... 'I'm the new a**e of Toyboy Warehouse!': Carol Vorderman, 55, to represent cougar dating website fol... 'My family history is shoes and wine... Brilliant!' Amanda Holden excitedly learns of French roots a... 'She had a special handler': Kendall Jenner 'employed extra security while in Paris for VS Fashion S... 'She thinks I'm gay!' Leah Remini teases 50 Cent over bedroom fetish made public by ex Vivica A. Fox...