US TV star dramatically quits job live on air in major blow to Donald Trump

A US news anchor has dramatically quit his job while live on air - leaving him sobbing. Steve Doocy is best known for his Fox and Friends hosting job on , but he's now leaving the programme's famous 'curvy couch' and is moving to Florida to become a special correspondent. The 68-year-old announced on Thursday (May 1): "After decades of getting up at 3:30 and driving into in the dark, today is the last day I will host the show from the couch.

"I am not retiring, I'm not leaving the show, I'm still a host. But it's time for a change." He will now do three days a week out of the studio, which will "make it easier [...] to report from Florida and other parts of America that don't get a lot of network airtime." He explained: "I'll be going from the Carolinas to the Keys, from Middle America to Mar-a-Lago."

The star admitted hosting is a "great job, but the hours suck", and explained he came up with the workaround with Fox New Media CEO Suzanne Scott while "trying to figure out what a guy who's been getting up at 3:30 for two generations should do next."

Steve has been at Fox News when it launched back in 1996, and even got a special send-off from US president . His absence will prove a blow to the president, who has praised Fox News while slamming rival networks like

In a message from the Oval Office, Trump said: "I just think you're a fantastic guy. You've always treated me fairly - sometimes more fairly than other times, but that's okay. It's really been an honour to spend so much time with you... watching you with the whole crew in the morning."

Now Doocy - who is father to Fox News reporter Peter Doocy - said he'll be able to spend more time having breakfast with his grandchildren but will "continue to join this couch crew for commentary".

He concluded: "You have trusted me for all these years - and don't worry, you will still hear my voice and my opinions loud and clear, despite whatever seasonal pollen is killing me."

It hasn't always been an easy job, as he told Mediate: "I've gotten up at 3:30 a.m., 6,828 days since I started this show. Then I travel to the city - 14 dollars in fare to go over the George Washington Bridge, deal with midtown, then go home at 9am."