Presenter of MSNBC‘s long-running political discussion show Hardball, Chris Matthews, announced his retirement live on air after a series of accusations of inappropriate behaviour against him surfaced.
As the show went onto air last night, Matthews opened with a monologue, in which he said; “After conversation with MSNBC, I decided tonight will be my last Hardball.
“The younger generations out there are ready to take the reins. … They’re improving the workplace. We’re talking here about better standards than we grew up with, fair standards.
“A lot of it has to do with how we talk to each other. Compliments on a woman’s appearance that some men, including me, might have once incorrectly thought were OK were never OK. For making such comments in the past, I’m sorry.”
The programme cut to an early commercial break before returning with Steve Kornacki replacing Matthews in the anchor chair, and appearing somewhat shocked by the sudden events, said; “That was a lot to take in just now, I’m sure you’re still absorbing that and I am too.”
Chris Matthews has been under pressure in recent weeks, after a string of allegations of innapropriate behaviour towards female guests on his show have surfaced.
Last Friday, Laura Bassett, now a freelance journalist, wrote in GQ magazine; “In 2017, I wrote a personal essay about a much older, married cable news host who inappropriately flirted with me in the makeup room a few times before we went live on his show, making me noticeably uncomfortable on air. I was afraid to name him at the time for fear of retaliation from the network; I’m not anymore. It was Chris Matthews.”
Matthews was absent from NBC News and MSNBC’s coverage of the South Carolina Primaries on Saturday, something which he would be expected to participate in.