Disney decided to renew ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos’ contract — despite having to fork over a $16 million legal settlement — because they didn’t want “his blood on their hands,” The Post has learned.
Stephanopoulos, who hosts “This Week” and is a co-anchor on “Good Morning America,” was handed a multi-year deal — though he took a pay cut from his lofty $20 million annual salary, sources said.
“No one wants a talent mess on their hands,” one longtime network executive told The Post. “No one wants an angry George Stephanopoulos loose in the world. No one wants to humiliate George by firing him or to have his blood on their hands.”
The well-connected former Democratic operative had been in talks with ABC News-parent Disney, which is in cost-cutting mode, before the company’s shocking decision Saturday to settle with President-elect Donald Trump, according to Deadline.
The Mouse House confirmed the extension Wednesday.
“George is well-liked by the liberal-elite in Hollywood and The Hamptons. He’s friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Michael J Fox and Netflix boss Ted Sarandos,” the source said, adding that he operates in the same “bubble” as left-leaning Disney top brass.
“George has carefully cultivated a relationship with [Disney CEO] Bob Iger and board members. He remains a respected member of the Disney family.”
But inside the halls of ABC News, staffers remain “livid” over Iger’s decision to stand by Stephanopoulos and cave to Trump.
“They paid off Trump for a mistake that George made. How many jobs could that $16 million have saved?” said a second network source, citing a fresh round of layoffs at the network.
“I think people are angry at the humiliation of the settlement with Trump. People are angry with George’s unforced errors and his defiance and that he’s rewarded for his mistakes with another lucrative contract even if his salary has been cut,” the first source said.
The source said that even if the journalist is well-regarded by top brass, he isn’t a favorite among staffers.
Sources said Stephanopoulos is a “loner” who doesn’t play well with others.
They noted that Stephanopoulos won’t take part in election night coverage or appear on air with “ABC World News Tonight” anchor David Muir.
“Most great anchors are larger than life. George has always been smaller than life. And this humiliating settlement has made him even smaller,“ the network exec said.
mess and decided to renew Stephanopoulos. Variety via Getty Images
As part of the settlement, Stephanopoulos was forced to apologize — which made the journalist “apoplectic” and “humiliated,” The Post exclusively reported Tuesday in an article headlined, “Furious George.”
A source said ABC News employees are now calling Stephanopoulos “Furious George” behind his back.
“George is mortified about the settlement and livid about the apology but he values money and status more than anything else,” the person said. “So he will take the paycheck and shut up.
Fiercely ambitious and introverted, Stephanopoulos has an inner-circle of loyalists, but his costly obstinance has alienated the journalist even more, a source close to the anchor said.
“He has just been humiliated. The news division is furious at him for an unforced error,” the person added.
Stephanopolous has remained mum despite multiple requests for comment by The Post this week.
ABC News and Disney declined to comment.
The deal awarded $15 million to a presidential foundation and museum for Trump and another $1 million for Trump’s attorney fees.
Stephanopoulos created the legal headache during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in March. The “This Week” host said that Trump was “liable for rape” while discussing the civil lawsuit won by journalist E. Jean Carroll.
The Post exclusively reported on Wednesday that Stephanopoulos was repeatedly warned by his producer not to use the word “rape.”
Disney’s chances of winning the lawsuit would be damaged if Stephanopoulos ignored his producer’s warnings, legal experts told The Post.
Iger signed off on the network’s settlement late Friday — hours after Florida Judge Cecilia Altonaga rejected a request to delay the case and ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for hours-long depositions just days before Christmas.
The judge also demanded that Disney turn over emails and text messages sent by and to Stephanopoulos by Sunday, according to reports.
Disney’s top lawyer, Horacio Gutierrez, urged Iger to settle the suit rather than risk a civil trial in front of a jury in the president-elect’s home state, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.
Iger also was worried that fighting the case could “risk damaging press protections” and “hurt the Disney brand,” according to the New York Times.