O’Reilly: Fans will be ‘shaken’ when truth comes out about Fox exit

Former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said he is “sad” that he’s not on television anymore and admitted Monday evening he’s “very surprised how it all turned out” regarding his split with his network home of more than 20 years. 

“I am sad that I’m not on television anymore. I was very surprised how it all turned out,” said O’Reilly on his “No Spin News” podcast on BillOReilly.com, speaking publicly for the first time since his relationship with Fox News ended last week.

{mosads}”I can’t say a lot, because there’s much stuff going on right now.” 

The 67-year-old O’Reilly added that he’s “very confident the truth will come out” surrounding the sexual harassment allegations that led to advertisers fleeing “The O’Reilly Factor” and ultimately to his departure. 

“I can tell you that I’m very confident the truth will come out, and when it does, I don’t know if you’re going to be surprised — but I think you’re going to be shaken, as I am. There’s a lot of stuff involved here,” said O’Reilly. 

“Now, I can’t say anymore because I just don’t want to influence the flow of the information. I don’t want the media to take what I say and misconstrue it. However, you, as a loyal O’Reilly listener, have a right to know, I think, down the lane what exactly happened. And we are working in that direction, OK?” 

O’Reilly said the podcast, normally reserved for premium or paid members, will be free this week, Monday through Thursday nights. 

O’Reilly’s show lost about 90 advertisers after The New York Times reported earlier this month that five women were paid $13 million to settle sexual harassment suits.

O’Reilly is set to receive a payout of up to $25 million after parting ways with Fox News last week, according to The New York Times.

That amount is equivalent to one year’s compensation in O’Reilly’s reported four-year, $100 million contract for “The O’Reilly Factor.”

O’Reilly has hosted the top-rated cable news show for the past 15 years.

Tucker Carlson moved into O’Reilly’s coveted 8 p.m. slot Monday night.  

O’Reilly’s Monday podcast lasted 19 minutes. Topics included President Trump’s positive poll results from The Washington Post showing him beating Hillary Clinton in a hypothetical matchup, 43 percent to 40 percent; analysis of Sunday’s French presidential election; Ann Coulter’s speaking controversy at the University of California, Berkeley; and former President Obama’s public appearance on Monday.