Alec Baldwin gets his own Friday night talk show on MSNBC

Rumors that Alec Baldwin was in talks to have his own program on MSNBC were confirmed on Thursday, after the network announced the liberal actor would be hosting a current events and culture talk show on Friday nights.

"After two seasons of my WNYC podcast, I’ve developed a fondness for hosting a show that involved talking with smart, talented, and engaging people in every imaginable field," Baldwin said. "I’m grateful to MSNBC for helping me bring a similar show to television."

The new show will be called Up Late w/ Alec Baldwin. It will air every Fridays from 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in October.

Baldwin is an outspoken liberal and serves on the board of People For the American Way Foundation, a progressive advocacy group.

Phil Griffin, the President of the network, said in a statement that he "can’t wait to bring his personality and eclectic interests to MSNBC."

"He’s got such passion for ideas and what’s going on in the world–he’s going to be a great addition to our line-up," Griffin added.

Baldwin was first rumored to be joining MSNBC after Keith Olbermann left the network in 2011, but those reports turned out to be false.

[Alec Baldwin photo via Shutterstock]