Bill O’Reilly returned to the public eye — or ear — Monday night for the first time since his ouster from Fox News over sexual harassment allegations.
The former “king of cable news” released a free edition of his “No Spin News” podcast Monday night, telling his legions of followers: “Hey, I missed you guys.”
“I am sad that I’m not on television anymore. I was very surprised how it all turned out. I can’t say a lot, because there’s much stuff going on right now,” O’Reilly said of his ouster.
“But I can tell you that I’m very confident the truth will come out, and when it does, I don’t know if you’re going to be surprised – but I think you’re going to be shaken, as I am. There’s a lot of stuff involved -,” he said.
The podcast marks the first time O’Reilly has spoken publicly since Fox announced last Wednesday it was severing ties with its flagship star after reviewing the allegations.
At the time, O’Reilly, who was on vacation in Italy, issued a statement saying it was “tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims.”
Related: Bill O’Reilly Officially Out at Fox News Amid Sexual Harassment Claims
“Now, I can’t say anymore because I just don’t want to influence the flow of the information. I don’t want the media to take what I say and misconstrue it,” O’Reilly said before jumping into the headlines.
The podcast will be free through Sunday. O’Reilly’s site includes “No Spin News” entries dating back to 2010. It’s been marketed as one of the perks for premium members of O’Reilly’s site, who pay $4.95 per month or $49.95 a year.
According to O’Reilly’s website, he donates all revenue from it to charities, including Haitian Health Foundation, Fisher House, Operation Shoebox and The Independence Fund.
