Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson plans to relaunch his show on Twitter, risking a battle with the news outlet that he remains contracted to, despite his dismissal last month.

In a video posted on Twitter with the caption “we’re back”, Carlson said: “Starting soon, we’ll be doing a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter.”

Mr Carlson was abruptly taken off the air last month, with the network saying only they “agreed to part ways”.

His departure came shortly after Fox News’ parent company settled a defamation lawsuit with voting machine company Dominion for $787.5m (£631m).

Mr Carlson was implicated in the case and expected to testify. He made sexist and racist remarks in messages used as evidence by Dominion.

The messages also revealed his private negative views about former US President Donald Trump and other Fox colleagues and executives

But his new Twitter show appears to violate his contract with Fox, which runs until 2025 and includes a no-compete clause.

Tucker Carlson breaks silence after leaving Fox News

Lawsuit live updates: ‘Money is accountability – but we’re not done yet’ – Dominion lawyers say after Fox settlement

Fox News agrees $787.5m settlement in defamation lawsuit with Dominion over coverage of vote-rigging claims

The clause prevents him from joining a rival network or setting up one of his own.

US outlet Axios reported that Mr Carlson’s lawyers sent a letter to Fox accusing it of fraud and breach of contract.

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The announcement comes two weeks after Twitter owner Elon Musk sat for a two-part interview with Mr Carlson but, on Tuesday, Musk tweeted the company had not signed any deal with the TV host.

On his controversial prime-time show Tucker Carlson Tonight, the host often embraced conspiracy theories and far-right issues.

The show was the highest-rated cable news programme in the key 25-to-54-year-old category, while Fox News is the most-watched cable news network in the US.

But ratings in Mr Carlson’s former slot slumped after he was ousted.

Read more: Tucker Carlson breaks silence after leaving Fox News

Last week’s substitute host, Lawrence Jones, reached between 1.28 million and 1.7 million viewers at a time when Mr Carlson usually drew around three million viewers, the Nielsen company said.

Fox has gained more than 40 new advertisers in that hour, the network said. Firms including Gillette, which had considered Mr Carlson’s show a toxic environment, have signed on.

The network offered no explanations for the removal of Mr Carlson, who gained prominence on Fox after developing a close relationship with Trump.

The head of Fox News Lachlan Murdoch said this week that the company settled the lawsuit to avoid a divisive trial and lengthy appeals process.

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