Addressing Thursday’s sudden and surprising cancellation of his MSNBC and Peacock shows, Mehdi Hasan publicly addressed the move for the first time on Friday, expressing gratitude for the “outpouring of love and support” he’s since received.
“Yes the @MehdiHasanShow has ended on @peacock & will be ending on @MSNBC *next* month (still a few weeks left!),” Hasan tweeted. “Thank you all for watching over the past 3 years. Going forward at @MSNBC, I'll serve as a guest anchor across prime shows and beyond, & as an on-air political analyst.”
The progressive commentator added: “Thanks for the outpouring of love and support, & thanks of course to my amazing, talented team of producers on the @MehdiHasanShow. I’m humbled and so appreciative. I’m not going anywhere and you’ll hear from me lots in 2024.”
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The network unveiled a revamped weekend lineup on Thursday morning, centered on a two-hour ensemble morning show hosted by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Besides Hasan, weekend shows hosted by Menendez, Sanders-Townsend, and Yasmin Vossoughian were bumped.
Additionally, other programs lost hours or were shifted to other time slots, while other anchors saw their shows expanded. In fact, host Ayman Mohyeldin will see his Sunday evening show expand to two hours, taking over Hasan’s 8 p.m. ET block.
The cancellation of the Muslim host’s show has led many progressives to wonder if Hasan, who has been highly critical of Israel’s military response in Gaza, is being punished for his pro-Palestine stance. It has even prompted liberal politicians to demand that MSNBC publicly explain why Hasan’s program was dropped.
“It is bad optics for MSNBC to cancel @mehdirhasan’s show right at a time when he is vocal for human rights in Gaza with the war ongoing,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted. “As a strong supporter of free speech, MSNBC owes the public an explanation for this decision. Why would they choose to do this now?”
Hasan, who has gained widespread praise for his relentless interviewing style, also received support from conservatives in the wake of MSNBC’s decision. The Bulwark’s Charlie Sykes, a Never-Trump pundit who is also an MSNBC contributor, said that while he may “often disagree” with Hasan he is “sick at heart over all this,” adding that the former Al Jazeera English presenter is the “most gifted interviewer in US media.”
