Lawrence Jones plans to speak directly to Americans on new show: ‘They don’t want all this high-class talk’

The newest addition to Fox News’ lineup, "Lawrence Jones Cross Country," debuts on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET and the program’s namesake host has a pretty good idea of what Americans expect from the show that will feature him speaking with ordinary people that don’t usually have a platform. 

"They don’t want all this high-class talk. They want something that is simple, and related, and that they care about," Lawrence Jones told Fox News Digital. "I’m from Texas, and I’m too country to try and be fancy… if I try and start talking all high class, I’m going to butcher the word. I’m just gonna be me, and we’ll see what happens."

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The 29-year-old Jones is humbled to have his own show at such a young age. He’s also admittedly a tad nervous, but was delighted when he saw that Fox News’ announcement meant something to people who have had his back for years.  

"It’s not just a moment for me, but it’s a moment for my family, my community… I saw my friends from back home sharing an article from the Dallas Morning News saying, ‘Hey I was in class with him,’ or 'I know him,’ that was a moment that touched me the most," Jones said. 

Now that the Garland, Texas native has his own TV show, he plans to speak directly to them. 

"I really want to serve them, but also, that is like my compass. If the people back home can’t understand the content I’m putting out, then I’m really not serving the audience," Jones said. 

Jones wants viewers to expect original stories and content from across the nation

"The show is a balance between news and analysis of what's happening in the world," Jones said, noting that he’ll touch on fun topics in addition to the dreary news-of-the-day headlines that typically dominate coverage. 

"There's so much heavy stuff going on in the world, but we also want to give the audience an opportunity to breathe throughout the show. There's a lot going on, a lot of chaos, crime, the border, inflation, things that have people in a funk. So we're going to cover that and make it personal," Jones said. "But we're also going to talk about football. We want to talk about some of the positive stuff happening across the country, some of the heart-pulling stories that are going to make them smile and have fun as well."

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On Saturday he will officially become the youngest Black solo host on cable news, but he has honed his skills on air since 2018 when Fox News executive Lauren Petterson discovered him doing radio. He’s already a familiar face to Fox News viewers, who have seen him as a regular substitute host and contributor to everything from "Fox & Friends" to "FOX News Primetime."  

"I started at Fox with no experience, they brought me in, I was a college student," he said. "I’ve always been me… they’ve given me this incredible opportunity to have my own show. [Critics] can say whatever they want about us. The proof is in the pudding." 

Along the way, Fox News host Dana Perino and Sean Hannity have served as mentors to Jones. 

"Those are like my two confidants. You know if I have any advice that I need, those are the first two people that are going to call me on my stuff, tell me how I can grow," Jones said. 

As for advice on the first show that airs on Saturday night, Jones plans to stick to the formula that’s been working for him since he first joined Fox News in 2018. 

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"Hannity told me when I first got into this business, ‘Just be L.J,’" he said.  

Jones will continue as the enterprise reporter on "FOX & Friends" in addition to his new weekend gig. Jones, along with Brian Kilmeade, fill Saturday night vacancies left by Jesse Watters, who was recently named solo host of Fox News’ weeknight 7 p.m. ET hour, and Jeanine Pirro, who was named co-host of "The Five."

"Lawrence Jones Cross Country" will air on Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel.