Andrea Tantaros Update: When Will The Fox News ‘Outnumbered’ Host Return?

Andrea Tantaros was ousted from Outnumbered on April 25, and there appears to be no timetable for her return to the Fox News Channel.

On the Fox News website and on social media networks, the feisty Tantaros is still listed as the co-star of Outnumbered, an hour-long political chat show that airs at noon Eastern time weekdays, which features four female commentators and a different #oneluckyguy in the middle of the couch.

Along with Harris Faulkner and Sandra Smith, Tantaros was one of the permanent co-hosts on Outnumbered. While Faulkner’s steady presence keeps the discussion moving, it is Andrea’s hot takes that has apparently generated viewer loyalty.

Outnumbered celebrated its two-year anniversary on April 28.

Tantaros previously had a regular gig on The O’Reilly Factor and The Five (pictured below with the other cast members at the time).

Under ordinary circumstances, she (or any other similarly situated FNC personality/author) would be aggressively hyping the book on various Fox platforms.

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Internet speculation, so far unsubstantiated, suggests that either Fox executives were displeased with her open support of Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy or that something in her new book ran counter to Fox policy. The latter seems unlikely, however, in that network lawyers presumably would have vetted the manuscript first, unless one of the barristers dropped the ball.

Others have raised the possibility of diva-like behavior on the set or disputes over pay or editorial control, again all uncorroborated rumors. Alluding to her abrupt departure, The Daily Caller noted that “Rumor has it that Tantaros’ headstrong personality led to conflict with other Fox employees.”

In a brief statement at the time, Fox merely said that there were issues about her still-in-effect contract, and the network determined that she should take some time off.

During various lower-profile interviews on her book tour, Tantaros essentially admitted to some sort of contractual gag order that prevents her from talking about the situation that has led to her forced vacation from the top-rated cable network.

If the impasse continues, it would seem fair that FNC cut the former political strategist loose so that she can move to, for example, a high-visibility commentating role on CNN or some other network as the presidential campaign continues to heat up.

Although Fox News hosts such as Bill O’Reilly, Howard Kurtz, and especially Sean Hannity lean toward The Donald, Megyn Kelly in particular has allocated a significant amount of air time to negative Trump stories as well as giving a large megaphone to many pro-Ted Cruz conservative pundits who are or were part of the #NeverTrump movement.

Parenthetically, the Tantaros Twitter feed is still active, but the settings have apparently been changed to prevent retweets or embedded tweets.

The Outnumbered Facebook page is loaded with comments from Andrea Tantaros fans.

“I used to watch Outnumbered every day, but since Andrea mysteriously dropped out I now only watch when there’s a decent guest,” remarked one user whose sentiments are representative.

“Will not watch unless Andrea is on. Been saying this for weeks now and FNC is NOT listening!!” another user added.

“Aside from her stunning looks, Tantaros is someone who’s very passionate about her beliefs, often quick-tempered and transparent with her mannerisms, and perhaps even a bit brash at times, but above all else she’s a free thinker in a 24-hour media circus devoid of free thinkers. Andrea is going to tell it like she sees it, whether anyone likes what she has to say or not…Whatever the reason for the friction between Tantaros and Fox News, lets hope it ends soon,” the Before Its News website asserted.

In the clip below, Andrea Tantaros weighs in on #NeverTrump tribune Mitt Romney.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTSAH-pUo8s

“Where the ‘H-E-double hockey sticks’ is Andrea Tantaros? The absence of the sharp, scintillating FNC hottie with the high hemline and the killer heels on Outnumbered is duly noted…the team of Sandra Smith, Harris Faulkner, and who ever happens to be the other two gals du jour — not to mention the #oneluckyguy on the couch — just does not cut it,” the Carpe Diem blog declared.

“Tantaros is missed by her fans since abruptly vanishing from Fox, but fingers are crossed by the masses that she’ll be back…Fox has done their viewers a huge disservice by keeping Tantaros off the air,” the Examiner insisted.

Separately, in an article published earlier this week in the Week, Andrea Tantaros provided four ways that Donald Trump can turn around his unfavorability rating with female voters.

Her recommendations include continuing to push the Bill Clinton sex scandals and Hillary Clinton’s alleged enabling of same, a more effective outreach to soccer moms in the context of national security and terrorism, highlighting the success of Trump Organization female executives (“The fact that many women have thrived working for Trump speaks volumes”), and deploying daughter Ivanka Trump on the campaign trail.

“Having your brilliant and successful daughter stump for you, and speak for you, is a sign of a shrewd candidate, and good parenting. A strong bond between father and daughter is exactly what Trump needs to show America — and women in particular — that he isn’t the boorish businessman the media claims. To young women, hearing Ivanka tout how her dad elevated her to the highest levels of the Trump organization and entrusts her with far more than just his American Express is the best evidence that he puts his faith in females who earn it.”

A petition to “Bring Back Andrea Tantaros” now has nearly 8,000 signatures at this writing.

Reacting to the many Facebook messages from Tantaros fans, the Examiner asked,”[W]hy won’t Fox ‘come clean’ and let the fans know what is going on with Tantaros? While Fox has said she was taking some time off and reporting this has something to do with her contract, how about an ETA on her return!”

Do you think that Andrea Tantaros will be reinstated by Fox News in the near term or will her contract continue to be tied up in knots?

[Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]