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Why did WINK News fire Matt Devitt? Popular Florida meteorologist shares update, ‘A complete shock…’
Popular Southwest Florida meteorologist Matt Devitt, known for his witty weather memes, has been fired by WINK News, he announced on social media.
Popular Southwest Florida meteorologist Matt Devitt, known for his witty weather memes, has been fired by WINK News, he announced in a Facebook post. Devitt’s popularity for his funny memes about Sunshine State weather extended beyond Southwest Florida.
Why was Matt Devitt fired?
Devitt, who had worked at the local commercial television station for 10 years, shared the news in a Facebook post. While he did not reveal why exactly he was let go, he said the decision was unexpected and came as a “shock” to him.
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“LIFE UPDATE: After 10 years, my time with WINK News has come to an end after being let go from my role as Chief Meteorologist on Thursday. This decision was not one that I expected or agreed with and was not given the opportunity to say goodbye on-air. It was a complete shock to me, my family and fellow coworkers,” Devitt wrote.
He added, “Serving our Southwest Florida community for the past decade has been an honor and privilege, especially through Hurricanes Irma, Ian, Helene and Milton. I always gave you everything I had with one goal in mind: keeping you safe and informed without the hype. While this chapter ended differently than I hoped, I wish WINK News, along with my previous coworkers and weather team, the best.”
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Devitt said he would still be sharing weather updates on his page, and that his Facebook name will be changed from Matt Devitt WINK Weather to Matt Devitt Weather.
“I'm taking a brief pause professionally to reset and be with my family. I’ve missed them and I’m looking forward to every minute. I’ll keep you all updated on what’s next,” added Devitt. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support, it has meant more to me than you know.”
WINK News has not publicly commented on the firing.
Devitt appeared in the WGCU documentary "Rising: Surviving the Surge" about Hurricane Ian. His last Facebook post, before the news of the firing surfaced, featured an image of a person’s Batman-like silhouette in foggy weather, with the caption, “Heads up! If you see Batman this morning, it may just be a horse with a blanket. It’s foggy!”
