Bill O’Reilly payout could top $25 million as anchor announces new podcast

Credit: Chip Somodevilla

Credit: Chip Somodevilla

Ousted Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly isn't taking his termination for sexual harassment allegations lying down. After three weeks off the air and less than a week after Fox let him go, O'Reilly is returning Monday evening with a new podcast, according to his website BillO'Reilly.com.

A banner across the top of the site reads, "Monday. The no spin news returns." O'Reilly usually started off his Fox show "The O'Reilly Factor" with the phrase "You are about to enter the no spin zone."

Fox is also paying O'Reilly, 67, a reported $25 million over the next year, according to NBC News, after he inked a new four-year contract with the network just last month guaranteeing he'd make at least that much.

O'Reilly was terminated from the network last week after the New York Times reported in early April that Fox had paid out $13 million to five women over several years to settle sexual harassment allegations against the longtime Fox anchor.

In a statement after his ouster, O'Reilly denied the allegations, calling them "unfounded claims."

His top-rated cable news show, on the air since 2001, generated millions of dollars in advertising revenue for Fox and consistently netted more than 3.5 million viewers a night in recent months.

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