FOX FEAR FACTOR

Will give O’Reilly ‘serious’ probe: sex accuser’s att’y

FOX NEWS’parent company, 21st Century Fox, will investigate the news network over the sexual harassment claims against Bill O’Reilly, a lawyer said Sunday.

Lisa Bloom, an attorney representing one of O’Reilly’s accusers, went to rival network CNN to reveal that 21st Century Fox lawyers confirmed it would probe Fox News.

“I’m told that they are taking it seriously, and they are going to do the investigation that’s legally required of them,” Bloom said on “Reliable Sources.”

She said she had been hearing from even more women about O’Reilly’s behavior in the past, and there might be more claims to come.

“This is not blowing over,” she said.

In an email, a 21st Century Fox spokesman told The News that it “investigates all complaints and we have asked the law firm Paul Weiss to continue assisting the company in these serious matters.”

Bloom did not return a request for further comment.

Her announcement comes days after she and the accuser, Wendy Walsh, recorded themselves reporting O’Reilly (photo below) to Fox News’ corporate complaint hotline. Bloom then posted a clip of their call on YouTube.

In the phone call, Bloom alleged that O’Reilly hinted he would make her a regular contributor on “The O’Reilly Factor” in 2013 — and then invited her to his hotel suite. When she rebuffed his offer, O’Reilly instead took her to a bar and “became hostile,” Walsh said. “He said insulting things to me,” she said in the call. “I think the most important thing he said was, ‘You can forget about any career advice I gave you, you’re on your own.’ ” O’Reilly grew cold to her on camera over the next few months before cutting her completely from his show, Walsh said. Walsh is not among the five women who received settlements from O’Reilly or Fox News over his alleged harassment since 2002, which have totaled more than $13 million. The women have accused the star host of verbal abuse, unwanted advances, graphic sexual comments and phone calls in which he appeared to be masturbating.

O’Reilly has denied all allegations, and the network has stood by him, even after a New York Times report on the settlements last week started an advertising exodus from his show.

More than 40 companies have pulled ads from “The O’Reilly Factor” in the past week, with many directly condemning the host’s behavior.

O’Reilly, who earns $18 million a year hosting the station’s most popular show, recently renewed his contract, which was set to expire this year.

The 21st Century Fox investigation would pile on yet another major scandal for the right-leaning news channel. Former chairman Roger Ailes — who stepped down last year over his own harassment allegations — is being sued by his accusers.