Bret Baier replacing Brit Hume as ‘Special Report’ anchor

Fox News Channel has selected White House correspondent Bret Baier to replace Brit Hume as anchor of its weeknight “Special Report.”

Hume, who had anchored the show for 10 years, will continue to appear on the political program (3 p.m. PST) in his new role as the network’s senior political analyst, while occasionally anchoring major news events and contributing to the “Fox News Sunday” panel.

His final day as “Special Report” anchor was last Tuesday.

Baier, who will start his new job on Jan. 5, is familiar to viewers of the show as Hume’s occasional substitute and from his work as Fox’s top person in the White House.

He said he plans “on continuing to maintain the prestige of the program in every way I know how.”

January brings another big change to Fox: Glenn Beck begins a new 2 p.m. program on Jan. 19.