Craig Carton, the beloved New York sports media personality, is bidding farewell to WFAN after three years of being rehired following his gambling addiction and subsequent imprisonment for fraud. In a heartfelt message to his listeners, Carton revealed that he is leaving the radio station to focus on his deal with Fox Sports. While he acknowledged that it was a happy and sad day for him, he emphasized that his decision had nothing to do with anyone at WFAN but was solely based on his personal life and the opportunity to host a show on Fox Sports 1.
Last fall, Fox Sports signed a multi-million dollar contract with Carton for a morning show on FS1. Carton rose to fame as co-host of the morning show that replaced Don Imus on WFAN in 2007, alongside former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason. After serving over a year behind bars on fraud-related charges, Carton returned to WFAN and agreed to host a Saturday morning show called “Hello My Name is Craig,” which focuses on offering resources to those affected by gambling addiction. The show is expected to continue airing after Carton’s departure from his weekday afternoon slot on June 30.
Carton’s journey has been a rollercoaster ride, from being a victim of sexual abuse as a child to participating in a ticket-sales fraud scheme to cover his gambling debts. However, he has persevered and is grateful for the opportunity to restart his career. As he bids farewell to WFAN, Carton reflects on his time in federal prison and how his dream of restarting his career helped him survive. While leaving radio and WFAN is not an easy decision, Carton is excited about the future and the opportunity to host his own show on Fox Sports 1.
