‘Hardball’ host calls it quits on air

Hot-tempered “Hardball” host Chris Matthews abruptly resigned on the air Monday night, telling viewers he was retiring effective immediately after a series of recent on-air gaffes and controversies.

Matthews, 74, a veteran political anchor, steered the popular show on MSNBC for more than 20 years, but began to lose his grip on the program after several embarrassing flubs, including a comparison of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ surging campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination to the Nazi invasion of France.

Matthews (inset) also came under fire after an interview with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) after which the anchor was criticized for exuding a tone that viewers found condescending. He has in the past been accused of making inappropriate comments about women’s looks.

“Let me start with my headline tonight,” Matthews said at the show’s opening. “I’m retiring. This is the last ‘Hardball’ on MSNBC, and obviously this isn’t for lack of interest in politics.”

Matthews, a former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, had hosted “Hardball” since 1999 and remained a centrist voice on the left-leaning cable news channel’s prime-time programming.

MSNBC has not announced Matthews’ replacement. He was expected to retire after this election cycle.

Last Friday night, Matthews mixed up Lindsey Graham’s primary opponent Jaime Harrison with Graham’s Republican Senate colleague Tim Scott.

“Big mistake,” he said, when his guests awkwardly corrected him.

The retirement announcement stunned viewers — and colleagues.

“That was a lot to take in,” said MSNBC host Steve Kornacki, who was pressed into emergency hosting duties. “Chris Matthews is a giant. He is a legend. It has been an honor for me to work with him.”