The network’s chief White House correspondent will co-anchor the show with Poppy Harlow, who has held the fort since Lemon was abruptly fired in April and Collins landed a primetime role.
Phil Mattingly and Poppy Harlow” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Y.Um_.bceY1umaBThSKd.A–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://media.zenfs.com /en/people_218/ca46b345c53b5058c5aec7b75a59cc4c” class=”caas-img”/>
CNN (2)
Phil Mattingley and Poppy Harlow
CNN has brought in Phil Mattingly to replace Don Lemon and Kaitlan Collins CNN this morning after the show saw two of the three co-anchors shaken within weeks of each other. He will anchor the show alongside Poppy Harlow.
Mattingly, 37, was named CNN’s chief White House correspondent in late 2022, replacing Collins after she moved to New York for the launch of CNN this morning. He will now follow in her footsteps again, bringing his political background — which includes coverage of the White House, Capitol Hill, Justice Department, and presidential campaigns — to the show every morning.
Mattingly opened up to PEOPLE in December about the challenges of reporting on politics in such a tense climate, explaining that “trust” in the media is the main issue he’s trying to overcome with his reporting.
“I’m not so naive as to think that one reporter or one team can tackle all the problems,” he told PEOPLE at the time. “But I firmly believe that every day we go to work – every story we write, every television package we put together, every live recording we do – there is an opportunity to break through and break the news that gives people a clear and unvarnished view of what is happening in their elected government.”
Related: Poppy Harlow knows what she’s looking for in her next ‘CNN This Morning’ co-anchor (exclusive)
After Lemon and Collins’ departure, Harlow left as the sole permanent anchor of CNN this morningshe told PEOPLE that she had been working closely with CNN executives to select a new on-air partner who would help move the show seamlessly into its new chapter.
“We are constantly talking about the characteristics of the person I sit next to, what is most important to me and what would best suit the team,” said 41-year-old Harlow in July. “I think it’s very important to sit next to someone who gets up [our off-camera] team, who cares about the team’s goals, who is nice, who is funny.”
“Humor is very important to me, especially when you wake up in the middle of the night,” she said. “Of course I miss having Don and Kaitlan by my side, but I’m excited for what lies ahead.”
Related: Poppy Harlow Guided By Lessons From Family As She Leads ‘CNN This Morning’ Into New Chapter (Exclusive)
Kaitlan Collins, Don Lemon and Poppy Harlow attend the 16th Annual CNN Heroes on December 11, 2022. The three formed the original anchor team on "CNN this morning," which debuted in November 2022.” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/tGxF4mfNKVEGg2ReMlLVEg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/ a720bb2d66d0b4101fd2083f9b1896ea” class=”caas-img”/>
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Kaitlan Collins, Don Lemon and Poppy Harlow attend the 16th Annual CNN Heroes on December 11, 2022. The three formed the original anchor team of “CNN This Morning”, which debuted in November 2022.
Lemon, 57, was a 17-year veteran of CNN who had been a co-anchor CNN this morning with Collins and Harlow from November 2022 until his dramatic resignation on April 24.
Then, after a controversial town hall meeting in May with former President Donald Trump, Collins was promoted to Chris Cuomo’s former primetime slot and cut from the morning show as well.
The announcement of Lemon’s termination was the talk of the media world in April, surprising not only viewers but apparently the anchor himself, who claimed he was informed by his agent – not the network – that he was out of a job .
“After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” he noted. Twitter.
Related: ‘Everyone Is Shocked’ By Don Lemon’s Sudden CNN Fire, Insiders Say (Exclusive)
Shortly after Lemon’s tweet, CNN pushed back on how his termination unfolded.
“Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is incorrect,” reports CNN Communications tweeted. “He was given a chance to meet with management, but instead issued a statement on Twitter.”
Related: A Timeline of CNN Host Don Lemon’s Controversies
In February, Lemon was off the air for several days after making controversial comments about presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who he said was “past her prime”.
Lemon quickly gave one apology for the comment, writing on social media hours later, “The reference I made this morning to a woman’s ‘prime’ was artless and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. The age of a woman doesn’t define her personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
After his controversial comments, Lemon “agreed to participate in formal training” and was back on the air after less than a week.
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Subsequently, a confrontational interview Lemon conducted in April with Republican presidential nominee Vivek Ramaswamy was cited as “annoying several CNN leaders” and rumored to have contributed to the decision to let him go.
Two days after his firing, Lemon appeared at the Time 100 Gala in New York City. “You’re more worried about me than I am,” he said on the red carpet. “Life goes on. That’s behind me, and we’ll see what happens in the future.”
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