Pictured: New Chairman and acting CEO of Fox News Rupert Murdoch emerges from News Corp after Roger Ailes resigns in sex pest scandal

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Rupert Murdoch has emerged from the News Corporation building in New York hours after Roger Ailes stepped down from Fox News.

Mr Murdoch, 85, has personally stepped into the breach and taken over as Chairman and Acting CEO. 

The media mogul, who was on vacation in the French Riviera with his wife Jerry Hall, flew back to New York a week early to deal with the Ailes talks, according to CNN's Brian Stelter. 

Both Mr Murdoch and his sons addressed the Fox newsroom about the change, according to Matt Drudge, who broke the news of Ailes' departure.

Mr Ailes, 76, today said he was stepping down because he did not want his 'presence to become a distraction'. His position had effectively become untenable after former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him earlier this month.

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Tough work: Rupert Murdoch, left, leaves the News Corporation building in New York after taking over as Chairman and CEO of Fox News Channel. Pictured far right is his son Lachlan

The vacation is over: Murdoch flew home early from his French Riviera holiday to oversee the fallout of Roger Ailes' departure from Fox News

Forced out: Roger Ailes (left) has stepped down as Fox News Chairman after Gretchen Carlson (right) launched a sexual harassment claim against him; her legal team say they have spoken with more than 20 women who have made claims against Mr Ailes

Stepped in: Rupert Murdoch, pictured on July 18 in the French Riviera with his wife Jerry Hall, is understood to have flown back from vacation early to deal with Ailes; Murdoch will assume the role of Chairman and Acting CEO of Fox News and Fox Business

Thank you for your service: Mr Murdoch (pictured with Jerry Hall) praised Mr Ailes in a lengthy statement; both he and his sons Lachlan and James are expected to address the news room in the coming hours

Mr Murdoch, who is Executive Chairman of 21st Century Fox, said in a statement: 'Roger Ailes has made a remarkable contribution to our company and our country. Roger shared my vision of a great and independent television organization and executed it brilliantly over 20 great years. 

'Fox News has given voice to those who were ignored by the traditional networks and has been one of the great commercial success stories of modern media.

'It is always difficult to create a channel or a publication from the ground up and against seemingly entrenched monopolies. To lead a flourishing news channel, and to build Fox Business, Roger has defied the odds.

'His grasp of policy and his ability to make profoundly important issues accessible to a broader audience stand in stark contrast to the self-serving elitism that characterizes far too much of the media.

'I am personally committed to ensuring that Fox News remains a distinctive, powerful voice. Our nation needs a robust Fox News to resonate from every corner of the country.

'To ensure continuity of all that is best about Fox News and what it stands for, I will take over as Chairman and acting CEO, with the support of our existing management team under Bill Shine, Jay Wallace and Mark Kranz.'

Lachlan and James Murdoch, sons of Rupert, who are 21st Century Fox's Executive Chairman, and CEO, respectively, added: 'We join our father in recognizing Roger’s remarkable contributions to our company. 

'Our talented Fox News and Fox Business colleagues, up and down the organization and on both sides of the camera, have built something that continues to redefine the cable news experience for millions of viewers. 

'We are enormously proud of their accomplishments. For them, as well as for our colleagues across our entire organization, we continue our commitment to maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect. We take seriously our responsibility to uphold these traditional, long-standing values of our company.'

The Murdoch boys, who are not exactly fans of Mr Ailes, appear to be behind the decision to hire a law firm to conduct an outside investigation into the sexual harassment claims. It appears somewhat surprising however that Mr Murdoch has stepped in to act as chief executive himself, rather than trust one of his two sons to operate in the role temporarily.

Mr Ailes, released an open letter to Mr Murdoch, via Drudge Report, saying he was proud of his 20 years at the company, but he was unwilling to become a 'distraction'. He did not specifically mention the harassment lawsuit although he said he took 'particular pride in the role that I have played advancing the careers of the many women I have promoted to executive and on-air positions'.

He will reportedly receive about $40 million as part of a settlement agreement, a source told the New York Times. 

He will continue act as an informal adviser to Mr Murdoch on an interim basis, although earlier reports he would remain on board as a consultant appeared wrong. He has also reportedly agreed to a non-compete clause, meaning he won't run any other news organizations.

Brit Hume, the veteran Fox News anchor, told the New York Times he was 'absolutely heartbroken' at the news Mr Ailes had stepped down.

'I love the guy, and I'm heartbroken,' he said. 'When I said I love the guy, that's present tense.' 

Anchor Chris Wallace, speaking at the Republican Convention in Cleveland said there were 'people in tears' at the news.

'Roger Ailes is the best boss I've had in almost a half a century in journalism,' he said. 'I admired him tremendously, professionally, and loved him, personally. He and Rupert built, came up with the idea of Fox in the beginning. And as sad as I am for Roger to go, I can't think of a better person to keep the vision of Fox News going than Rupert.' 

Anchor Bret Baier said he was among Fox News talent who had a 'key man clause' in his contract, which would allow him to leave the company if Ailes does, although he did not appear to indicate that he was moving.

'I think a lot of what we do on the news side is bottom up and it's always been that way, he told Politico. 'I'm betting that Rupert is going to continue with that same process.'

Following news of his departure, Ms Carlson's lawyer released a statement saying: 'Within two weeks of her filing a lawsuit against Roger Ailes, Gretchen Carlson's extraordinary courage has caused a seismic shift in the media world.

'We hope that all businesses now understand that women will no longer tolerate sexual harassment and reputable companies will no longer shield those who abuse women.

'We thank all the brave women who spoke out about this issue.' 

Earlier it was reported Mr Ailes was moved out of his office at 1211 Avenue of the Americas and into another New York City building owner by 21st Century Fox - Fox News' parent company - on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a former Fox News anchor hinted that she has stories of her own to tell about Ailes.  

In a statement to CNN's Stelter, a lawyer for Laurie Dhue said that they had been receiving numerous requests for comment after Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes two weeks ago.

While Ms Dhue has not been contacted by lawyers running the outside investigation into the matter, her spokesman said she is in the process of writing a book 'in which she will candidly discuss her years at Fox News and her interactions and communications with Mr Ailes'.

The book will also cover her 'involuntary departure' from the company' and her lack of success in continuing her career in the television news industry'.

Laurie Dhue (pictured left), a former Fox anchor, is reportedly writing a tell-all memoir about her time at the network which will include 'candid' passages about her communications with Ailes; meanwhile Megyn Kelly (pictured right Wednesday night) is also understood to be among those who made accusations against Ailes

Ms Dhue's spokesman did not go into further detail about what might be in the book, and said that she did not wish to comment to the media.

Ms Dhue worked at Fox News as an anchor from 2000 until 2008. She worked as a reporter on the television show Geraldo at Large and was the host of Fox Report Weekend.

Attorneys representing Ms Carlson in her lawsuit told theGuardian that they had spoken with more than 20 women so far who were making claims against Ailes - the vast majority saying they were direct victims and not just witnesses.   

These accusations date as far back as the 1960s, when Ailes was an executive producer on The Mike Douglas Show, all the way to the present.  

Ms Carlson's spokesman John Garger says a few of the accusations are 'severe', but refused to go into further details. 

'Gretchen’s legal team started hearing (mainly through calls and emails) from people with their own stories of harassment almost immediately the day that the lawsuit was filed and first reported on,' Garger said. 'The messages are still coming in.'

Neither Ailes not 21st Century Fox have responded to these accusations.

Ailes has denied Carlson's accusations and continues to run the network from its New York City offices.

Lawyers with Paul, Weiss have been interviewing other women at the company, and former female employees to see if there are any other victims. 

A bombshell came on Tuesday, when sources that spoke with New York Magazine claimed that Megyn Kelly was among the women who had made accusations.  

Ms Kelly is said to have become riled up when several female employees at Fox rushed to defend Ailes following Ms Carlson's accusations.

Kelly is also said to have told investigators about her own personal experience receiving unwanted sexual advances from Ailes about 10 years ago, when she was a legal correspondent working out of Fox News' Washington, DC bureau.

'Megyn thought the other side of the story needed to be told,' a source told New York Magazine.

Mr Ailes has denied ever sexually harassing Ms Kelly.