Former ABC News anchor says toxic work environment, racism led to suicide attempt

A former anchor for ABC News claims years of working in a toxic work environment and enduring racist rhetoric from superiors led him to attempt suicide.  

In his new memoir, former “World News Now” anchor Kendis Gibson alleges he was subjected to one of the most grueling desks, repeatedly had his pitches dismissed or handed off and encountered racism from an executive. 

Gibson told Page Six he was “trying to perform at the top of the game … at an overnight show [and] during the day.”

Though he repeatedly asked to be moved off the desk, citing the toll it was taking on his mental health, Gibson alleges his pleas went ignored, even as 19 co-anchors oscillated through the studio. 

“It was just a lot, and the network was not listening to me at all,” he said. 

But things got worse when an executive began making racially charged comments directed at Gibson. 

In one instance, Gibson said he wore a pair of jeans on air. Shortly thereafter, he alleges, the executive called him and said, “You’re doing television news now, not attending a rap concert. Don’t ever wear jeans again.”

He also alleges that the same executive later said he was worth less than toilet paper. 

But the issues didn’t stop there, he claimed. 

Gibson helped spearhead a “Diversity Task Force” in the hopes of seeing more Black employees hired to serve in senior positions. 

Gibson claims his involvement sparked retaliation.

In the two years before the task force was created, Gibson said he appeared on “Good Morning America” 212 times. But after the task force’s first meeting with management, his appearances went down to only eight in the two years following that meeting.

The issues continued, with executives passing on exclusives Gibson pitched — such as behind-the-scenes access with Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton and Colombian superstar Maluma.

“I was so naive,” Gibson said. “I had rose-colored glasses on. I didn’t think there was racism taking place. I didn’t see all the indications.”

Gibson admits that he was struggling with depression before joining “World News Now,” but argues that the situations he dealt with at the network exacerbated those struggles.  

In October 2018, Gibson returned home from anchoring the overnight show and took two Ambien with two glasses of wine. When he woke up a few hours later, he sent his then-partner a goodbye text and prepared himself to jump out of his kitchen window. 

He would have succeeded, he said, if the drugs and alcohol hadn’t kicked in — knocking him backward onto the floor. A friend later showed up and helped him back into bed.

Just hours later, Gibson returned to work. 

As Gibson’s contract with ABC came to a close, he said he was offered a one-year extension and a $10,000 salary increase. He refused the offer.

Such money, he said, was “network pittance,” and he “didn’t think it was worth my time and health to sacrifice another year working that difficult schedule.”

Gibson went on to work at MSNBC, and today is an anchor at New York’s PIX11 News. 

“I’m in a different space. It’s the first time I’ve been anywhere where I’m not looking for the next job and I’m comfortable in my skin,” he told Page Six.

ABC did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.