Fox News Ousts Bill O'Reilly

After two decades, Bill O'Reilly is officially out at Fox News, the Los Angeles Times reports. In a statement issued Wednesday, 21st Century Fox announced the end of the longtime host's tenure "after a thorough and careful review of the allegations." It was reported earlier this month that O'Reilly and Fox News had paid $13 million to women accusing O'Reilly of sexual abuse and harassment dating back to 2002. More claims and accusations followed that story, and The O'Reilly Factor lost more than 50 of its advertisers, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Still, many experts thought O'Reilly would be able to weather the storm. He's had the top-rated cable news show for 15 years and was a huge moneymaker for Fox News. The Los Angeles Times reports Fox News could lose as much as 25% of its prime-time audience with the removal of O'Reilly. The host is currently on vacation in Italy (where he met Pope Francis on Wednesday, according to the New York Times). He was expected to return to his show on Monday. It's believed Fox News will name a permanent replacement for O'Reilly before then. (More Bill O'Reilly stories.)