Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill O'Reilly is taking a vacation from his Fox News Channel show amid sponsor defections triggered by sexual harassment allegations.

Announcing the break at the end of Tuesday's show, O'Reilly made a point of saying it was planned and long in the works. He said he will return April 24.

Around this time of year, "I grab some vacation, because it's spring and Easter time. Last fall, I booked a trip that should be terrific," he said.

His vacation announcement comes as about 60 companies said they won't advertise on his show. The exodus followed a recent report in The New York Times that five women were paid a total of $13 million to keep quiet about harassment allegations.

Fox Watcher Gabriel Sherman reports that James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, hopes to make the vacation a permanent one.

James Murdoch wants O'Reilly taken off the air for good, 2 sources say https://t.co/QSWNAd9ZkY

— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) April 12, 2017


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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/o-reilly-announces-vacation-amidst-sponsor-backlash