Mark Halperin Contract Terminated by NBC News

Political analyst had been suspended last week after allegations of sexual harassment from his time at ABC News a decade ago

The Circus Mark Halperin
Showtime

NBC News has terminated political analyst Mark Halperin’s contract as a special contributor, an MSNBC spokesman told TheWrap on Monday.

The news was reported on-air by “Today” host Megyn Kelly shortly after she interviewed Halperin accuser Eleanor McManus.

Halperin had been suspended by the network last week after the publication of a CNN report detailing five anonymous allegations of sexual misconduct against the NBC contributor.

In a lengthy statement on Twitter on Friday, Halperin apologized for his actions, which took place primarily during his tenure at ABC more than a decade ago.

“I apologize sincerely to the women I mistreated,” he said. “I have recognized conduct for which I feel profound guilt and responsibility, some involving junior ABC News personnel and women just starting out in the news business.”

Halperin, whose sharp analysis of U.S. politics fueled a mini-political/media empire, saw his career completely implode in the wake of the allegations.

In addition to MSNBC, Showtime announced that his program “The Circus” — if it continues — would do so without him. In addition, HBO canceled plans to develop a miniseries based on an upcoming book co-authored with John Heilemann about the 2016 election — and Penguin Press abruptly withdrew plans to publish the book.

It’s also unlikely that Halperin will ever return to “Morning Joe.” The pundit’s most visible platform will likely never have him back, a person familiar with the matter told TheWrap last week.

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