Eric Bolling suspended from Fox News after allegations of lewd texting
TV host accused of sending unsolicited photos of male genitalia to several co-workers, according to Huff Post
Eric Bolling, host of the shows The Fox News Specialists and Cashin' In, has been suspended from the American cable network following a Huffington Post article alleging he sent lewd photos to co-workers.
According to a statement from Fox News to the CBC, an investigation into allegations against the television host is underway.
Report leads to suspension
A spokesperson for Fox News said Cashin In', a business analysis program which was taped Friday as usual, was pulled from airing once the media outlet "was made aware of the allegations" through the Huffington Post story. The show was replaced Saturday by a live half hour of news.
A story published Friday by Huffington Post alleges that Bolling, 54, "sent an unsolicited photo of male genitalia via text message" to three female colleagues several years ago. The article cites a dozen unnamed sources.
Bolling, a New York Times bestselling author, has held positions with Fox News Channel since 2008 as a host, conservative political commentator and financial analyst.
Network has faced multiple accusations in past year
Fox News, a right-leaning media outlet and the most-watched on American cable television, has faced a number of sexual harassment allegations recently.
Host Bill O'Reilly was fired earlier this year after a New York Times report revealed five women had received settlements totaling $13 million US after they alleged sexual harassment, prompting numerous advertisers to pull out of his highly rated talk show, The O'Reilly Factor.
Roger Ailes, who died in May at the age of 77, resigned from his post as head of Fox News amid accusations of sexual harrassment.
Bolling 'does not believe' he sent texts
A lawyer for Bolling told the Huffington Post that his client "recalls no such inappropriate communications" and "does not believe he sent any such communications" when asked about the alleged texts.
The law firm of Paul Weiss is conducting the investigation. According to Fox News, rotating substitute hosts will fill in for Bolling on Cashin' In and The Specialists, a nightly program which discusses top news stories through a multi-person panel.
The Specialists was created in May after Fox News was forced to revise its lineup to fill the void left by O'Reilly's ouster.