Laura Ingraham to Fox News Channel is a 'done deal,' Matt Drudge tweets

After a bit of build-up, Laura Ingraham has officially signed with Fox News Channel, per media heavyweight Matt Drudge. She is expected to host the cable news network’s 10 p.m. hour beginning as early as next week.

Here is the Drudge Report founder’s series of tweets first breaking the news that Igraham’s much-assumed addition is now a “done deal.”

Drudge is as plugged in to Fox News as anyone in the industry, so his word on this is pretty much gospel. Still, TheWrap reached out to Fox for confirmation and comment, though we did not immediately hear back.

Ingraham is no stranger to Fox News viewers, as she regularly fills in for hosts like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. The popular talk radio host is an outspoken Trump supporter who has been rumored to join the president’s administration, so landing her own show on Fox News would indicate that the network remains committed to airing conservative opinion shows during primetime.

Fox News was in need of a new option after firing “The Fox News Specialists” co-host Eric Bolling, who was let going following an internal investigation into claims that he sent lewd text messages to colleagues.

It now seems like Fox will move “The Five” back to its original 5 p.m. time slot, opening up a primetime spot for Ingraham. With her at 10, the network will move “Hannity” up an hour to compete with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow at 9.

Ingraham and Fox News were very close to a deal last week, TheWrap was told. Seems all those wrinkles have been ironed out.