With CBS Owned Stations and affiliates preparing for the May 2026 end of The Late Show and host Stephen Colbert’s final program, a FOX Television Stations property that found itself at the center of a license renewal battle with Preston Padden believes it has its own solution to a forthcoming late-night void. And, it just may be taking a page from Gutfeld!
Coming September 8 to viewers of WTXF “FOX 29” in Philadelphia in the 11:30pm time slot is MIKE, a locally produced 30-minute talk program that will air opposite The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC’s WCAU-10 and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC’s WPVI-6.
MIKE is hosted by Mike Jerrick, who is known for his time as a co-host of a program with Juliet Huddy in the late 2000s and is today the co-host of Good Day Philadelphia on WTXF.
The program is under the direction of SVP/GM Dennis Bianchi and WTXF Director of Local Original Programming Tom Louden.
Louden commented, “Douglas, Carson, Paar, Letterman, Leno, and now, Jerrick! ‘MIKE’ will remind viewers why this format has been successful since the earliest days of television – because it is the perfect way to end each day with a laugh. And with Mike Jerrick at the helm, there’s no telling what will happen next!”
FOX isn’t exactly new to the late-night talk show universe, with Greg Gutfeld‘s 10pm Eastern/7pm Pacific FOX News Channel satirical talk show earning the highest ratings of any late-night program.
What’s intriguing about MIKE is that it could be a beta test for an eventual national launch by FOX, just in time for the 2026-2027 season. For good measure, the very first guest on MIKE is a bonafide international feature film star: Cillian Murphy.
According to FOX Television Stations, MIKE will feature all the staples of a late-night talk show, from the traditional anchor desk and couch set to the celebrity and newsmaker interviews, musical performances, stand-up comedy, and skits.
This could make MIKE potentially the biggest locally produced show in Philadelphia television since Dance Party USA aired on the USA Network as a latter-day version of Dick Clark’s inaugural incarnation of the iconic American Bandstand.
Episodes of MIKE will include Jerrick breaking down the news of the day “with his signature humor and charm” alongside a sidekick — lifelong Philadelphian and FOX 29 Executive Producer Vince DeFruscio.
Jerrick is also known nationally for his various roles at FOX News Channel, including weekend co-host of “FOX and Friends” and co-host of “DaySide,” a daily live audience daytime talk show.
That said, Jerrick has decades of experience as a host of newsmagazines and entertainment-focused programming. Prior to joining WTFX, Jerrick served as managing editor and anchor on “America Afterhours,” on CNBC, and hosted “What’s News” for the national cable television network America’s Talking. Earlier in his career, he hosted “Sci-Fi Buzz” on USA Network’s Sci-Fi Channel and produced and hosted HBO’s “World Entertainment Report.” In addition, Jerrick produced and reported for KCAL-9 in Los Angeles and for “Evening Magazine” on KPIX-5 in San Francisco. Before that, he spent five years as the host of “Alive & Well,” a health and fitness program on the USA Network.
Jerrick began his career in broadcasting as producer and host of “PM Magazine” at WNYW-5 in New York.
WTXF was the station at the center of a Media and Democracy Project petition to deny the license renewal of the Philadelphia TV station, on the grounds the FOX Television Stations property aired false and misleading news content pertaining to the 2020 U.S. presidential election provided by FOX News Channel. To “preserve the First Amendment,” former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel approved WTXF’s license renewal in the waning days of her leadership at the Commission.
