Mon May 12 21:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Jemele Hill Returns to ESPN After Years-Long Absence
**NEW YORK, NY** — Former ESPN host Jemele Hill made a surprise return to the network on Friday, marking her first appearance since her departure in 2018. Hill, who left ESPN after tweeting that then-President Donald Trump was a white supremacist, appeared on the final episode of “Around the Horn” before its cancellation.
The reunion, which saw some lighthearted ribbing of Hill’s past controversial tweets, drew mixed reactions. While some viewers found the appearance humorous, others expressed displeasure, criticizing Hill’s past outspoken commentary. Some online commentators criticized the network’s decision, using terms like “woke freak show.”
Hill, now a staff writer for The Athletic and co-founder of Lodge Freeway Media, has continued to publicly address issues of race, politics, and culture since leaving ESPN. Her return to the network, however, serves as a reconciliation of sorts, putting a close to a contentious chapter in ESPN’s history. The network’s decision to invite Hill back, for the show’s finale, was seen by some as an olive branch.
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