Top US television anchor Don Lemon’s estimation on air earlier this year that 51-year-old Republican Nikki Haley was not ‘in her prime’ has cost him his job.
Lemon, who had apologised at the time for what he called his ‘inartful and irrelevant’ comments, said on Twitter he was ‘stunned’ by CNN’s decision.
The BBC reports that Lemon, a long-time fixture of the network, was most recently a co-host of CNN’s This Morning programme.
But he landed in hot water in February when he suggested that Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, a former UN ambassador and governor of South Carolina, was not ‘in her prime’.
‘When a woman is considered to be in her prime – in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s…. I’m just saying what the facts are – Google it,’ he added, in response to objections from his female co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins.
Lemon issued a statement on the same day saying he regretted his ‘inartful and irrelevant’ statement, apologised to the newsroom and agreed to participate in ‘mandatory training’ to address the incident.
The BBC notes that Lemon’s remarks sparked widespread criticism, including from actress Michelle Yeoh, 60, who appeared to refer to the CNN anchor’s views in her Oscar’s acceptance speech last month when she said: ‘Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.’