Fox News’ The Five, the cable colossus’s crown jewel that’s crushed CNN and MSNBC for 28 quarters straight, erupted into absolute anarchy on September 25, 2025, when rotating co-host Harold Ford Jr. was “physically removed” from the studio mid-segment after a blistering blow-up with Greg Gutfeld that left jaws on the floor and cameras cutting to commercial in chaos. The 55-year-old ex-Democratic congressman, fresh from a maternity glow-up with daughter Cleo (born June 2025), locked horns with the 60-year-old late-night lightning rod over a heated debate on Trump’s “deep state” digs, with Ford slamming Gutfeld’s “conspiracy clownery” as “dangerous deflection from real threats.” “You’re not debating—you’re derailing democracy!” Ford thundered, rising from his seat in a rare rage that had co-hosts Dana Perino and Jesse Watters frozen, Jeanine Pirro pleading “Pause, please!” But Gutfeld, smirking through the storm, fired back: “Sit down, Harold – your ‘moderation’ is just minority mutiny!” The tipping point? Ford’s finger jab, inches from Gutfeld’s grill, prompting producers to yank him backstage amid shouts of “Security!” – cameras abruptly axed to a pre-taped ad, leaving 3.8 million viewers stunned.
The clash’s carnage? Cataclysmic: Taped at 4 p.m. ET in NYC’s Riverside Studios, the segment spiraled from a tame Trump tariff talk to a full-throated tirade when Gutfeld quipped Ford’s “Tennessee temper” was “just blue-state blues.” Insiders spill to Variety: “Harold’s been simmering since the Tarlov replacement rumors—today he snapped, and Greg goaded like a gladiator.” Security stormed in seconds, escorting Ford to a green room “cool-off,” where he reportedly roared, “This isn’t debate—it’s a dictatorship!” Gutfeld, unfazed, ad-libbed to camera post-cut: “Folks, that’s why we need five voices – even when one loses his cool.” The abrupt end? A producer’s panic button, with exec Irena Briganti “furious” over the fiasco, per The Hollywood Reporter. Socials? A supernova: #FiveFight blasts 4.2 million posts in hours—”Ford fired up!” vs. “Gutfeld’s got guts – Harold’s history!”—with #SaveHarold trending in Tennessee (his 2006 Senate stomping ground).
The backstory’s bite? Brutal: Ford, since 2022’s rotating role (sharing with Jessica Tarlov, rumored out for his “permanent perch,” per Variety‘s September 25 leak), has been the “liberal linchpin,” his measured clashes spiking demos 18%. Gutfeld’s glee? A grenade: His 2023 “greedy diva” demands ($7M+ salary push) and backstage beefs (“outcast” whispers to RadarOnline) make him a powder keg. The “explosive on-air clash”? A symptom of The Five‘s fault lines: Ratings rocket (3.5 million nightly, up 12%) masks merger mayhem (Skydance’s July $8B Paramount play eyes “evolution”). Tarlov fans tie it: “If Ford’s the fix, why the fight?” Ford? Fuming post-incident: An X thread thundered “Respect the discourse – or dissolve it,” racking 1.5 million likes. Perino’s plea? “We’re family – feuds fade.” Gutfeld? Grinning on Gutfeld!: “Harold’s heat – hot take or hot head?”
The fallout? Ferocious: Ofcom probes pending (viewer complaints: 2,500+), sponsors like Pepsi pausing spots (“toxic timing”), and whispers of Ford’s “final warning” or “full-time fast-track.” Socials seethe: X’s #GutfeldVsFord trends with “Greg’s gladiator!” vs. “Harold’s heroism!” Baier’s “cool heads” tweet tips scales. This isn’t roundtable rumble; it’s a regime revolt, The Five‘s future a fox in the fight ring. Ford’s fire? Forged or fatal? Gutfeld’s grin? Gold or grenade? September’s segment? Not a spat—a seismic shift. Insiders intrigue; the curtain call? Cataclysmic. Fans demand: Reprimand or reprise? The Five’s fate? Five-alarm frenzy.
