Megyn Kelly's return irks Fox News anchors, but it's expected to be for one night only

The Daily Beast

Tucker Carlson's surprise booking of Kelly, his former Fox News colleague, for Wednesday night caught everybody at the cable news network off guard -- including his Fox News bosses. Kelly is expected to discuss her experiences at NBC News, working with Matt Lauer, and Ronan Farrow's new book Catch and Kill. But Shepard Smith's shock departure last Friday and Kelly seeking a new job has raised concerns that her Fox News appearance will pave the way for her return to the conservative news network. "Multiple sources inside and outside Fox News told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that Martha MacCallum, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham—whose programs air at 7pm, 9pm and 10pm, respectively, on the right-leaning outlet—were variously spooked and irked by the prospect of Kelly’s return, which Carlson announced at the end of Monday’s installment of Tucker Carlson Tonight," report The Daily Beast's Lachlan Cartwright and Lloyd Grove. They add: "Fox News’ chief executive, Suzanne Scott, was compelled to re-assure each nighttime host individually throughout the day on Tuesday that their jobs were safe and that Kelly’s appearance on Carlson’s show was a one-time-only event." Fox News also issued a statement saying: “Megyn Kelly’s forthcoming guest appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight was coordinated weeks ago and is a one-time occurrence. Any future programming changes we are considering do not involve her.” Meanwhile, a source close to Kelly says she “has a good relationship with Lachlan (Murdoch) and Tucker, among others, but left Fox News for good reason and has no intention of going back.”