Harlow, 41, had served as co-host of CNN This Morning, the network’s short-lived morning show that was effectively cancelled back in February after less than a year on air. The show struggled with consistently poor ratings and was plagued by scandals.

With Harlow’s departure, CNN has now lost all three original hosts of what was meant to be their marquee morning program – Don Lemon was famously fired over inappropriate comments earlier this year, while Kaitlan Collins left to take over the coveted 9pm slot.

So was Harlow pushed out against her will? Or did she jump ship of her own accord amidst CNN’s downward spiral?

The Downward Spiral of CNN This Morning

CNN This Morning premiered to much fanfare on November 1st 2022, with Harlow joined by controversial host Don Lemon and rising star White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

The network had high hopes that the glitzy new show would allow them to compete with the likes of NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America.

However, it quickly became embroiled in controversy – primarily due to a string of eyebrow-raising comments and slurs from Lemon, including appearing to insult an alleged rape victim during an interview.

Behind the scenes reports also emerged claiming that Lemon had reduced Collins to tears after berating her aggressively in front of other staffers.

By February 2023, Lemon had been fired. And while it initially seemed like there was hope for the show without its problematic host, Collins soon exited as well to take over the coveted 9pm slot left vacant after Chris Cuomo’s high-profile firing.

That left Poppy Harlow as the sole remaining original host. But clearly, the show was damaged beyond repair. Viewership continued to decline, morale was low after months of scandals, and rumors swirled of tensions behind the scenes.

In April, newly appointed CNN CEO Chris Licht finally pulled the plug on his troubled morning show baby – less than 5 months since Lemon’s firing.

Harlow Jumps Ship

With CNN This Morning now dead and buried, did Harlow choose to walk away herself? Or was she nudged out against her will?

In her gracious farewell email to colleagues, Harlow certainly seemed to imply it was her decision, thanking management for giving her “the space to make this decision.”

She spoke affectionately about her “nearly two decades” with the network, calling it a “gift” where she was “allowed to stumble, to falter, and then to try again.”

Hardly seems the wording of someone who felt aggrieved at being forced out.

However, some sources close to Harlow paint a less rosy picture behind the scenes. Allegations emerged earlier this year that she was “mean” to CNN This Morning staffers and “made people cry” when the cameras stopped rolling.

While CNN vehemently denied these claims, it does hint at tension between Harlow and employees on the failed morning show.

And notably, CNN CEO Mark Thompson’s statement on her departure was worded rather carefully, speaking of the network “giving her the space” to leave.

Rather odd phrasing if she left completely of her own accord. It seems to suggest that while CNN didn’t explicitly push her out, they likely made it clear that her time was up.

Why Did CNN This Morning Fail?

The demise of CNN This Morning is undoubtedly a huge black eye for the network. Why did their much-hyped morning show fail so spectacularly?

A large share of the blame has been placed on controversial ex-CEO Chris Licht, who spearheaded the show’s launch and had taken personal responsibility for its success.

Sources claimed Licht made key mistakes – like picking hosts not suited for the morning show format, and forcing chemistry between staffers who didn’t gel.

“He set people up to fail and put people in positions they shouldn’t be in,” one insider scathingly said.

But it’s likely the show was doomed from the start – it was asking viewers who had spent decades watching NBC and ABC in the mornings to suddenly switch over to CNN, without offering them any compelling reason to do so.

And CNN’s brand has taken such a battering in recent years – from scandals like Chris Cuomo’s firing to criticisms that its hard news focus can’t compete with opinion-driven rivals – that viewers simply didn’t have much faith.

What Next For Harlow and CNN?

For Poppy Harlow, the future remains unclear. The veteran anchor said she plans to “support the evolution of journalism” while “preserving the human(ity)” in it.

She also spoke enthusiastically about spending more time with her family and children.

As for CNN, Harlow’s exit is just the latest blow. The network remains mired in an identity crisis – with new management struggling to articulate what CNN now stands for and who its audience is meant to be.

More big names could follow Harlow out the door, as cost-cutting new CEO Licht undertakes layoffs many see as inevitable. The path back to ratings success also remains extremely unclear.

It’s a period of great uncertainty for the once undisputed king of cable news. And the failure of CNN This Morning seems emblematic of the wider struggles faced by a network fighting desperately to remain relevant. I sincerely hope you find this “Poppy Harlow Quits CNN- Was She Pushed Out?” article helpful.

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