TV presenter Angela Rye breaks down while claiming Chris Cuomo called her TINSEL CROTCH after she posted sequined bikini selfie: Says her career at CNN stalled after the incident

Former CNN commentator Angela Rye has claimed Chris Cuomo sent her explicit messages calling her “tinsel crotch” after she shared a photo of herself in a bikini on social media.

Rye, who regularly appeared on the former host’s show, said she was stunned when she discovered he had commented on a bikini-clad photo she shared in 2021.

The 44-year-old was overcome with emotion as she spoke about the alleged interaction during the first episode of her new show, describing it as “the most embarrassing, humiliating experiences” she’s had.

In her recent podcast episode that aired Thursday, she said she was “stunned” when she read the message.

Rye said: ‘It all started on New Year’s Day when I posted a photo of myself looking forward to the New Year in a gold sequin bikini.

‘Cuomo took a screenshot of the image and said, “Happy New Year tinsel,” bewildered, I read and reread a dozen times trying to understand.

Rye has claimed that the alleged interaction is the reason the network decided to let her go just a few weeks after Cuomo, seen here in 2018, messaged her.

Rye, who regularly appeared on the former presenter’s show, said she was stunned to discover he had commented on a bikini-clad photo she shared in 2021, seen here

Fighting back tears, Rye continues, “I felt like the safest place I had was compromised on a show on CNN.

‘I ignored it, hoping it would go away, or even better, I imagined this. A few hours later he said hello.

‘I didn’t respond for another two days, despite his plea to call the next day to talk about work.

“I was afraid to say anything, I felt like if I called him out I was risking everything I was finally starting to build with the network.”

On January 21, just three weeks after the alleged interaction, Rye was informed by the network that it would not renew her contributor contract.

Rye said she believed Cuomo’s text message and her resignation were related.

She also alleged that Cuomo texted her from a new number last year asking if he had upset her.

Rye continued, “Chris, you texted me from a new number last year asking if I’m mad at you.

‘Yes, but I was really angry with myself. I was angry with myself for not speaking up sooner, for lacking courage and for choosing my financial well-being over my mental health.”

Cuomo, right, was fired by CNN in December 2021 after it emerged he had secretly helped his brother Andrew, left, with a strategy to counter harassment allegations

Cuomo was fired from the company in 2021 for allegedly using his influence to help his brother, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, deal with sexual assault allegations.

The former host of Cuomo Prime Time now works for NewsNation, allegedly using his media connections and contacts to fact-check stories about his brother and feed the information back to the governor’s agents.

The younger Cuomo is suing CNN for more than $60 million over his abrupt resignation.

Harper Collins was set to publish a book by Cuomo in 2022, but dropped the book due to the controversy.

Cuomo’s career as a politician collapsed after he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior toward 11 women.

He resigned in August 2021 after months of resistance and the criminal charges against him were eventually dropped. Cuomo denies the allegations.

A representative for Cuomo and NewsNation, for whom he now works, did not respond to a request for comment.

DailyMail.com has reached out to CNN for comment.