The polished facade of Fox News, long a bastion of conservative commentary, is cracking under the weight of its own ideological fervor. In a bombshell revelation that’s rippling through the network’s corridors and beyond, star anchor Greg Gutfeld has reportedly issued a scorching ultimatum to executives: fire his co-host Jessica Tarlov, or he’ll walk away from The Five entirely. “I will not share the screen with her,” Gutfeld allegedly fumed in a heated internal meeting, according to multiple sources close to the production. The clash, stemming from a blistering on-air exchange last week, has ignited what insiders describe as a full-blown “civil war” at the network, pitting right-wing firebrands against the lone liberal voice on the panel and raising questions about Fox’s tolerance for dissent in an era of deepening political divides.

It all boiled over during a September 18 episode of The Five, Fox’s highest-rated daytime show, which draws nearly 3 million viewers per airing. The segment in question dissected the media’s handling of recent political violence, including a spate of threats against conservative figures. Gutfeld, the show’s sardonic host and a late-night staple with Gutfeld!, launched into a monologue asserting that such aggression stems almost exclusively from the political left—a narrative he’s hammered home amid the 2024 election’s acrimonious aftermath. “Violence isn’t a both-sides thing; it’s a left-wing plague,” he declared, his trademark smirk giving way to unbridled intensity. Enter Jessica Tarlov, the Democratic strategist and the panel’s token progressive, who fired back with data-driven rebuttals: FBI statistics showing right-wing extremism as the top domestic threat, and examples of inflammatory rhetoric from both ends of the spectrum. “Greg, you’re cherry-picking to fit your worldview—violence knows no party,” she countered coolly, her poise a stark contrast to his escalating volume.

What began as typical panel sparring escalated into personal vitriol. Gutfeld, red-faced and gesturing wildly, interrupted Tarlov repeatedly, accusing her of “defending terrorists” and “whitewashing leftist hate.” Tarlov held her ground, retorting that his “hysterical fearmongering” was the real danger to civil discourse. The exchange peaked when Gutfeld slammed his notes down, muttering under his breath, “This is why we can’t have her here.” The cameras cut to commercial amid awkward silence, but the damage was done. Viewership spiked 15% for the episode—Fox’s algorithms love controversy—but backstage, the fallout was seismic. Sources tell Variety that Gutfeld stormed into a post-show huddle with producers, demanding Tarlov’s ouster. “She’s poisoning the show,” he reportedly yelled. “I will not share the screen with her. Fire her, or I’m out.” Executives, caught between their top talent and the optics of silencing a woman in a #MeToo-shadowed industry, have been in damage-control mode ever since.

The internal conflict has fractured The Five‘s once-cohesive team. Co-hosts like Dana Perino and Jesse Watters, Gutfeld’s ideological allies, have reportedly sided with him in private Slack channels, decrying Tarlov as a “disruptive force” who “undermines the brand.” Perino, the former White House press secretary, allegedly forwarded Gutfeld’s complaints to network brass, while Watters quipped in a group chat (leaked to The New York Post) that Tarlov was “like that one vegan at a barbecue—ruining everyone’s steak.” On the flip side, rotating guest hosts like Harold Ford Jr. and even some production staff have rallied around Tarlov, praising her as the “voice of reason” that keeps the show from devolving into an echo chamber. One anonymous producer told Deadline: “Greg’s ego is out of control. Jessica brings balance; without her, we’re just yelling at clouds.” Tarlov herself has remained mum publicly, but friends say she’s “furious and hurt,” weighing legal options if her contract—up for renewal in 2026—isn’t honored.

This isn’t Gutfeld’s first brush with controversy. The 61-year-old comedian-turned-pundit has built a career on boundary-pushing humor, from mocking COVID lockdowns on his Fox Nation special to his 2024 book The Joy That Is Gutfeld, a satirical takedown of “woke” culture that topped bestseller lists. But critics, including media watchdog Media Matters, argue his style veers into toxicity, citing past on-air jabs at colleagues like a 2023 spat with Jeanine Pirro over election denialism. “Gutfeld’s not just opinionated; he’s vindictive,” one ex-Fox staffer told Politico. The network, under Rupert Murdoch’s watchful eye post-2023 Dominion settlement, has been navigating a tightrope: amplifying MAGA fervor to retain its base while avoiding lawsuits over “false equivalence.” Tarlov’s role—hired in 2021 as a counterweight to the show’s conservative tilt—has always been precarious, but her sharp intellect and unflappable demeanor made her a fan favorite, with clips of her clapbacks racking up millions on TikTok.

Social media has amplified the schism into a full-throated culture war. On X (formerly Twitter), #FireJessica trended briefly after Gutfeld superfans flooded the platform, with posts like “Gutfeld’s right—Tarlov’s a Soros plant ruining Fox!” from verified conservatives. Counter-hashtags like #StandWithJessica surged among liberals, featuring memes of Gutfeld as a tantrum-throwing toddler and Tarlov as Wonder Woman shielding the truth. A viral thread by podcaster Ben Shapiro (who’s guest-hosted The Five) defended Gutfeld: “Dissent is fine, but sabotage isn’t. Fox needs unity, not division.” Meanwhile, feminist influencers like Jessica Valenti decried it as “textbook misogyny,” pointing to Gutfeld’s history of gendered barbs. Reddit’s r/television lit up with a 5,000-upvote discussion: “Gutfeld’s ultimatum is peak Fox hypocrisy—free speech until it disagrees with you.” Even neutral observers weighed in; The Atlantic‘s David Frum called it “a microcosm of Trump’s GOP: loyalty or exile.”

Fox executives, led by programming chief Suzanne Scott, are reportedly scrambling. A tense all-hands meeting on September 20 devolved into shouting matches, with Gutfeld absent but represented by his agent. Sources say Murdoch himself intervened via Zoom, barking, “Sort this or I’ll sort it.” Options on the table include reshuffling the panel—perhaps bumping Tarlov to a solo segment—or giving Gutfeld a solo spinoff to cool tempers. Ratings are the wildcard: The Five averages 2.8 million viewers, second only to The Five in the demo, but a Gutfeld exit could tank that. Tarlov’s defenders note her appeal to moderates, crediting her for a 10% uptick in female viewership since 2022.

As the dust settles—or doesn’t—the saga underscores deeper rot at Fox. In a post-January 6 world, where political violence is no longer abstract, shows like The Five aren’t just entertainment; they’re accelerants. Gutfeld’s rage isn’t isolated; it’s symptomatic of a network grappling with its soul. Will Fox cave to its provocateur, sacrificing diversity for dogma? Or will Tarlov’s tenacity force a reckoning? Insiders predict a quiet resolution—maybe a forced apology, maybe a contract buyout—but the scar tissue will linger.

For now, Gutfeld soldiers on with Gutfeld!, his 10 p.m. slot untouched, where he monologued last night about “cancel culture coming for conservatives—even at Fox.” Tarlov, ever the pro, appeared on CNN’s The Lead Wednesday, pivoting to policy without mentioning the feud. But whispers of more leaks abound. In the coliseum of cable news, ultimatums are currency, and Gutfeld’s just cashed a big one. Whether it buys him a throne or a pink slip remains the million-viewer question.