Keith Olbermann has been fired by Current TV -- less than a year after Olbermann was hired as lead anchor. Effective immediately, his show will be replaced by Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer.

Olbermann will not be given an opportunity to sign off, according to the New York Times.

The tempermental anchor had clashed with Current TV executives, and he was met with a slew of bad press when he refused to host extended hours of election coverage.

Current TV wrote an open letter to its viewers Friday explaining the abrupt departure, which appears on its online site.

Signed by Current founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, the letter is not flattering to Olbermann.

Current was . . . founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers, the letter reads. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

We are moving ahead by honoring Current's values, the statement continues. Current has a fundamental obligation to deliver news programming with a progressive perspective that our viewers can count on being available daily -- especially now, during the presidential election campaign.

Ouch!

Olbermann appears to be considering legal action, based on his Twitter posts Friday night.

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