“There’s no doubt when you look at who has the greater influence now – it would be Trump over Fox,” says Whittaker. “So I think from a Fox perspective the question is therefore how do they change themselves?”
Adding to the pressure on Fox is an eye-watering $788m bill to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the channel of knowingly broadcasting false claims that the company’s technology was used to rig the 2020 election of Joe Biden.
Fox is still facing a separate $2.7bn lawsuit brought by Smartmatic, another voting technology company.
Some of Fox’s most controversial hosts, including Tucker Carlson, have been ousted in the wake of the scandal. Still, analysts say the channel will have to tread carefully to avoid future crippling claims.
Enders says Fox needs a “bugaboo” to rail against, but warns the network has to be “really careful”. She adds: “I think we’re going to see a lot more care given about blanket assertions that the election is being undermined and stolen.”
A Fox News insider denied that the channel was being more cautious in its coverage and insisted the Dominion case was “in the rear-view mirror”.
Nevertheless, an influx of disenfranchised British politicians could deliver fresh new voices for Murdoch’s channel at a time when the tycoon is battling to retain his influence. And while Truss’s transition from discredited UK politician to US talking head may have ruffled feathers, it is unlikely to be the last.
“I think you will continue to see a stream of politicians going over,” says Whittaker. “But they’re going to be politicians of a certain type who have a certain worldview … It’s not going to be somebody in the mainstream.”