A news anchor has been fired after going off script and rushing to defend his former co-host after her sudden departure. In a week of turmoil, a local LA TV station has lost two of its presenters in quick succession and is been slammed by furious viewers.
The scandal began last week when popular news anchor Lynette Romero abrupty left without being given the chance to say goodbye on air - leaving a very sour taste in the mouth of several employees. This led co-host Mark Mester to go on a scathing rant against his employers for what he deemed to be 'rude, cruel and inappropriate' treatement towards the viewers.
Chaos ensued after Romero's departure was announced live on air via a statement from the stations' new director.
"After nearly 24 years, Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news," it read.
"KTLA management had hoped she would stay here her entire career, and KTLA worked hard to make that happen.
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"But Lynette has decided to move to another opportunity elsewhere. Lynette, we wish you luck, we miss you and we thank you for everything you’ve done for KTLA. ... On behalf of everyone here, we wish you and your family nothing but the best."
Just days later, Mester delivered a surprise off-script defence of his former colleague while blasting bosses for not allowing his 'best friend' the chance to say farewell on air.
"I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you," Mester told viewers on Saturday. “What the viewers experienced was rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate and we are so sorry."
During his off-script monologue, Mester also apologised to Remero and mentioned that a plane had flown over the station with the message "we love you Lynette!.
He reportedly wanted to include footage of the plane, which it's claimed he hired, in her goodbye highlights reel.
It was claimed she had asked to work a weekday anchor shift instead of a weekend, but when her request was removed she decided to join another station.
Mester continued: "I also want to say sorry to Lynette Romero because Lynette, I love you so much, you literally are my best friend. You did not deserve what happened to you."
The news anchor decided against reading what producers had written for him and went completely rogue.
He added: "We're going to offer you dignity and grace, which is what this station should’ve done from the beginning,” Mester said in apparent defiance.
"You did not deserve this, we are sorry, it was a mistake and we just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive us."
Mester was applauded by many for his emotional message, but some of his colleagues claimed he had violated their trust by abandoning what was pre-planned.
It was reported that he was suspended on the following Monday - but now he has been fired from his role.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the stations' general manager announced that Mester had been given the boot with a brief speech during a meeting in the newsroom.
He reportedly said: "[Mester] is no longer at KTLA5."
While Romero, who had worked at KTLA since 1998, tweeted a message of thanks after she reportedly agreed to leave the news station.
She wrote: "I will always be grateful for the love and affection LA viewers have given me. Stay tuned my friends I’ll be right back."
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