Roger Ailes said that he didn't want to be a distraction from the work being carried out at Fox News each and every day, and was therefore resigning from his post as Chairman and CEO of Fox News immediately. The key leadership post at Fox News has been taken over by company owner Rupert Murdoch who praised the work Ailes has done over his 20 years building Fox News, without alluding to the sexual harassment scandal enveloping the 76 year-old media executive.

As he resigned he said, in a letter obtained and posted by the Drudge Report, that Fox News was number one because he always looked for the most talented men and women to do the job at hand.

"I take particular pride in the role that I have played advancing the careers of the many women I have promoted to executive and on-air positions. Many of these talented journalists have deservedly become household names known for their intelligence and strength, whether reporting the news, fair and balanced, and offering exciting opinions on our opinion programs," Ailes said.

On July 6, former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson claimed Ailes sexually harassed her and then fired her for refusing his advances. Ailes has denied the claims and nothing has been proven in court.

Since then many more women, reportedly as many as 20, have come forward to claim sexual harassment of one form or another. The claims, and reports that Fox hired a top tier law firm to investigate the claims, led to widespread speculation and claims of a high-stakes poker match to forces Ailes out of the network he created.

"Having spent 20 years building this historic business, I will not allow my presence to become a distraction from the work that must be done every day to ensure that Fox News and Fox Business continue to lead our industry," Ailes said.

Ailes will stay on as a consultant to 21st Century Fox until 2018 but his executive duties have been relinquished.