Local New York anchor Ken Rosato allegedly spent his final days at WABC 7 struggling with back pain, and resenting his co-anchor Shirleen Allicot, according to sources.
Insiders believe that Rosato grew so frustrated over the station’s increasing favor of Allicot that it led him to refer to her as a “c–t” in an off-camera comment.
The vulgarity resulted in the veteran anchor losing his gig — which sources say paid him $500,000 annually.
“They have different work styles. He’s been there for two decades, and perhaps he was less driven,” a source told Page Six.
The source added that Rosato had also “been having back problems,” and that the station noticeably gave Allicot “more shine.”
“Ken might have been a little jealous. It seems like there were things that led up to [the incident], but that’s not [Allicot’s] fault,” they said.
Other sources told us it was completely “out of character” for Rosato — who once worked as a priest — to drop the crude insult, and described him as “one of the nicest human beings.”
“He has no disrespect for anyone. It’s not who he is, and it’s very much out of character. Something must’ve triggered that,” one person believes.
The source added that it’s “100 percent inaccurate” that Rosato would harbor any resentment over the station favoring Allicot.
“It’s not his personality. He would never take offense to them trying to promote a talent and they had an amazing relationship on-air. You can see that,” the source claimed.
Rosato’s contract had been renewed for $500,000 per year, according to the Sun.
A source familiar with the former “Eyewitness News This Morning” anchor’s pay confirmed to Page Six that he was making “around $500,000 annually.”
Some TV insiders, however, considered that a low salary for the popular New York anchor, since he’d worked at the station for more than two decades.
Meanwhile, we hear the newsroom is divided over his exit, with one person telling us “no one seems horribly upset” that he’s out, and another source claiming that other people are “calling him in droves, saying they miss him.”
Rosato has not publicly addressed his dismissal, but he appears to be taking it all in stride.
He looked blissful while celebrating his 24th anniversary with his husband, Chris Sobel, a day after we reported on his firing.
ABC and Rosato’s rep, Todd Shapiro, did not comment.
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