A veteran Indiana meteorologist was abruptly shown the door by his Nexstar-owned TV station after more than 40 years in the job — months after insiders described his close relationship with a much younger colleague as “creepy.”
Jesse Walker had already announced plans to leave Terre Haute-based WTWO on Oct. 2 and launch his own weather company with former station meteorologist Alex Kerkhove, according to industry newsletter FTVLive.
But the station accelerated Walker’s exit, telling the longtime chief meteorologist that he had already worked his final day and denying him the opportunity to deliver an on-air farewell, FTVLive reported.
“Today they walked you out the door and didn’t let you say goodbye,” Kerkhove wrote in a social media post supporting her mentor.
She began the Facebook post by writing: “Jesse Walker! I am sorry that the station treated someone that has dedicated his entire career to serving a community like they did.”
She praised Walker for decades of school visits, severe-weather coverage and community events, and credited him with teaching her to “just be yourself.”
“I’m forever grateful for your mentorship and support as a meteorologist and also as a friend,” Kerkhove wrote.
“You’ll always be my ‘station dad’ — someone who always looked out for me.”
She closed with another shot at the station.
“Sorry leaving wasn’t on your terms, but your legacy as the chief meteorologist is something they can never take away.”
The abrupt ouster marks the latest twist in months of turmoil surrounding Walker and Kerkhove, whose unusually close relationship became a source of friction inside WTWO, according to FTVLive.
Kerkhove, a rookie meteorologist who joined the station after college, left the station earlier this year after roughly a year on the job. She said she was fired, while Nexstar has maintained that it did not fire her.
After her departure, anonymous station insiders told FTVLive that Walker had taken a “deep interest” in Kerkhove before she was hired and that the two “chatted regularly” before she joined the station.
Once Kerkhove arrived at WTWO, they became “obsessed with each other,” one insider alleged.
“When she wasn’t doing weather, she was attached to Jesse at the hip, and this would go on even after her shift would end,” the insider told FTVLive.
Another WTWO source told the newsletter: “I have no idea if these two were romantically involved, but he’s like 40 years older than her,” adding: “It was very creepy.”
FTVLive stressed that it had “no clue about the relationship between Kerkhove and Walker,” while reporting that some insiders believed it was not the professional relationship they expected between a supervisor and a junior employee.
Kerkhove and Walker have described their relationship as a mentorship and friendship.
Kerkhove previously alleged that WTWO management sought to limit her interactions with Walker, claiming she was told she could speak with him for only 15 to 20 minutes while they were working because management watched security cameras.
Walker fiercely defended Kerkhove after her departure, calling her “one of the best meteorologist I’ve had the pleasure of working with” during his four decades at WTWO.
He also suggested at the time that the station’s handling of Kerkhove’s departure had influenced his own future.
Management’s decision “has made my decision for my future pretty clear now,” Walker wrote.
Kerkhove, meanwhile, called Walker “my rock” and said he had “fought for me time and time again.”
The pair continued spending time together after Kerkhove left WTWO, including a river excursion that Walker documented on Facebook.
Walker later announced plans to leave the station on Oct. 2 and launch his own weather company, with Kerkhove joining him in the venture, according to FTVLive.
“Several weeks ago, Jesse Walker asked to be released from his contract with WTWO, and WTWO decided to honor Jesse’s request,” a Nexstar spokesperson told The Post.
“Prior to his departure last week, WTWO internally celebrated Jesse’s achievements and contributions to the community and worked with him to produce an on-air video tribute which aired Sept. 30 and is now on the WTWO website.”
“WTWO-TV did not terminate the employment of Alex Kerkhove and repeatedly asked her to return to work. She chose not to do so. As this is a personnel matter, we will have no further comment.”