ESPN ‘buys out’ the $2.5 million left on Jamele Hill’s contract

An ESPN host who has sparred with the Trump White House numerous times is departing from the network. 

Jemele Hill has reportedly agreed to let ESPN buyout her $2.5 million contact and her last day will be Friday, according to The New York Post.  

Author and ESPN insider James Miller was the first to report on Hill’s departure, which has been rumored since she left ‘SportsCenter’ earlier this year following politically charged remarks she made about the President.   

Jemele Hill (pictured) has reportedly agreed to let ESPN buyout her $2.5 million contact and her last day will be Friday

Author and ESPN insider James Miller was the first to report on Hill's departure, which has been rumored since she left 'SportsCenter' earlier this year

Author and ESPN insider James Miller was the first to report on Hill’s departure, which has been rumored since she left ‘SportsCenter’ earlier this year

‘Coming (September 1) an amicable departure / buyout for @jemelehill from@espn Benn a long time coming,’ Miller tweeted. 

The New York Post suggested that the announcement was made on Saturday to deaden the impact of what had been a huge national story, both in politics and in sports.

 Despite calls from the White House demanding her ouster, then-network president John Skipper chose not to suspend Hill

 Despite calls from the White House demanding her ouster, then-network president John Skipper chose not to suspend Hill

On September 11, 2017, Hill came under fire for calling Trump a ‘white supremacist’ and ‘unqualified and unfit’ to be a president, as well as a ‘bigot.’  

She later clarified that the remarks reflected her ‘personal beliefs’, and apologized for bringing ESPN into the issue.

‘My comments on Twitter expressed my personal beliefs,’ she said in a statement she posted on Twitter in June.

‘My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light. My respect for the company and my colleagues remains unconditional.’  

The channel distanced itself from the host’s remarks when its ESPN PR Twitter account tweeted: ‘The comments on Twitter Jemele Hill regarding the president do not represent the position of ESPN.’ 

‘We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate.’ Despite calls from the White House demanding her ouster, then-network president John Skipper chose not to suspend Hill.

A month later, however, Hill was placed on leave after firing off a tweet attacking NFL Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, stating: ‘Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ’s statement, boycott his advertisers.’

Jemele Hill (pictured) has reportedly agreed to let ESPN buyout her $2.5 million contact and her last day will be Friday

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro (pictured) has made it clear that he does not want the channel engaging in politics, and reportedly sought an amicable resolution with Hill regarding her departure

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro (pictured right) has made it clear that he does not want the channel engaging in politics, and reportedly sought an amicable resolution with Hill regarding her departure

The tweet was in reference to Jone’s position on NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem to protest social inequality and police brutality, stating repeatedly that he was against the demonstration. 

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro has made it clear that he does not want the channel engaging in politics, and reportedly sought an amicable resolution with Hill regarding her tenure at the sports broadcaster. 

The Post reported that Hill’s 6pm ‘SportsCenter’ time slot with her former partner, Michael Smith, also failed to deliver ratings and added an extra incentive for ESPN to end their relationship. 

While Hill was barely a presence on ESPN following her remarks about the president, save a few columns for the website, she incessantly tweeted about politics and will likely venture beyond the world of sports in her next venture, according to the Post.  

 Hill left the broadcast after tweeting that Trump was a 'white supremacist' and 'unqualified and unfit' to be a president, as well as a 'bigot'

 Hill left the broadcast after tweeting that Trump was a ‘white supremacist’ and ‘unqualified and unfit’ to be a president, as well as a ‘bigot’

 She later clarified that the remarks reflected her 'personal beliefs', and apologized for bringing ESPN into the issue.

 She later clarified that the remarks reflected her ‘personal beliefs’, and apologized for bringing ESPN into the issue.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk