Fox News To Debut New Weekend Primetime Lineup

Lawrence Jones, Brian Kilmeade

FOX News Channel (FNC) will debut a new Saturday primetime line-up beginning January 29th with programs hosted by Lawrence Jones and Brian Kilmeade, announced Suzanne Scott, CEO of FOX News Media. 

Jones will host a new one-hour show entitled Lawrence Jones Cross Country airing at 10 PM/ET, while Brian Kilmeade will helm his own program from 8-9 PM/ET and Unfiltered with Dan Bongino will move to 9 PM/ET. The 8 PM/ET hour was formerly hosted by Jesse Watters who was named solo host of the weeknight Jesse Watters Primetime (debuting on Monday January 24th), while the 9 PM/ET Saturday evening timeslot was previously hosted by Jeanine Pirro who was named co-host of The Five.

The promotion renders Jones, 29, the youngest Black solo host of a program in cable news. In addition to this new role, he will continue as the enterprise reporter for the FOX & Friends franchise. Lawrence Jones Cross Country will focus on newsmakers from across the political and cultural spectrum, spotlighting the leading concerns facing Americans nationwide. Jones will frequently travel across the country to showcase a multitude of key topical stories from the issues at the border and crime in cities to the impact of Covid policies, providing an in-depth look at underserved communities.

Kilmeade will remain a co-host of FNC’s unrivaled morning franchise FOX & Friends while also hosting the three-hour daily Brian Kilmeade Show on FOX News Audio and What Made America Great on FOX News Media’s streaming service FOX Nation, which is now in its eighth season with the latest installment of the program dropping on January 26th. His new FNC weekend show will provide perspective and context to the week’s major stories with power players throughout the news landscape and an overall theme of placing country before party.

Jones added, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that Suzanne has provided me over the last four years, encouraging me to travel the country and seek out the stories of everyday Americans, many of whom have been overlooked by the rest of the media. I look forward to delivering insightful, thought-provoking coverage on the key issues that really matter to the heartland of the nation.”

Kilmeade commented, “I am truly honored that Suzanne has given me another incredible opportunity at FOX News Media. My ultimate goal is to create a program that will always seek solutions rather than sow division.”

Since joining the network in 2018, Jones has become known for his signature storytelling and “man-on-the-street” segments focusing on the impact of various issues on local communities, most often in primetime on Sean Hannity’s eponymous top-rated program. He was later named enterprise reporter for the FOX & Friends franchise in May 2021 and has filled in as guest-host for the top-rated cable news morning show on both the weekday and weekend editions. Throughout 2021, Jones also served as a regular host for the nightly FOX News Primetime at 7PM/ET.

Kilmeade joined FNC as a sports reporter in 1997. He was soon named to the FOX & Friends (6-9 AM/ET) role in 1998 which he has been co-hosting alongside Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt. The show quickly climbed to the number one morning program in cable news within three years of his tenure and has remained there for 20 consecutive years. His nationally syndicated 9AM – 12 PM/ET radio program, The Brian Kilmeade Show, is among the most popular offerings on FOX News Audio with over 250 terrestrial radio affiliates nationwide, along with his daily show podcast which just notched its best year ever in unique downloads with 180% year-to-year growth and nearly 2 million unique listeners in 2021. He also guest hosted the weeknight FOX News Primetime throughout 2021.