Fox News is already feeling the failure as Tucker Carlson's replacement saw a drop in ratings on the first night. The first episode of "Fox News Tonight," the replacement program for "Tucker Carlson Tonight," suffered in the 25- to 54-year-old age demographic according to data from Show Buzz Daily. The show, hosted by Brian Kilmeade, averaged a rating of 0.24 in the key age demo, compared to Carlson's average of 0.37 a week prior. The show also averaged 2.6 million viewers in total, below Carlson's average of 3.7 million viewers.

Carlson's final episode of "Tucker Carlson Tonight" aired Friday, April 21, and reeled in 2.65 million total viewers. The show was the second-most-watched cable news program in 2022, behind only Fox News' "The Five," said a report on Daily Caller.

The drop in ratings for "Fox News Tonight" is thanks to Fox News parting ways with one of their best talents and ratings magnet, Tucker Carlson, who was one of Fox News' most popular hosts in years. Carlson's show was known for its controversial content and its appeal to a conservative audience. It is unclear whether Kilmeade will be able to maintain the same level of viewership for the show, but many of Tucker's fans have followed him off the network, even canceling Fox Nation subscriptions. It seems like there is 1% chance Kilmeade could even carry Tucker Carlson's water bottle, let alone compare in ratings.

Fox News has not yet announced who will be the permanent host of "Fox News Tonight." The network has said that it will be rotating hosts through the end of May. They also have not yet stated the exact reason them and Tucker have gone their own way.