Tragic Details About Fox News Anchor Julie Banderas' Life

As an anchor on Fox News, we're used to seeing Julie Banderas (who also goes by Julie Bidwell) glammed up and sharing her often outspoken views on the polarizing news channel. The star's life looks perfect from the outside, as she worked her way up from the bottom to become one of the network's most recognizable faces. "I attended Emerson College in Boston, where I majored in broadcast journalism. I got my first job in television at WHSV TV-3 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1997 as the morning and noon anchor/producer and was eventually promoted to the evening anchor/producer for the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news," she told Fox News. She later landed journalism gigs in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York City, noting, "I was hired at Fox News Channel in 2005 and the rest is history."

But even though Banderas' rise to the top seems like the quintessential American success story from the outside, her life hasn't been as easy as it may seem. From the heartbreak of losing her dad to a difficult marriage that ended in divorce amid serious allegations, Banderas has endured a handful of tragic eras, much like her Fox News co-star Martha MacCallum.

In 2010, just six months after Julie Banderas became a mom for the first time, she tragically lost her beloved dad Howard D. Bidwell. Even more heartbreakingly, his death happened a week before Thanksgiving. "He was my hero," she told Fox News. "My dad always said to me, 'Don't ever settle for mediocrity.' He also taught me the meaning of the word tenacity by demonstrating the actions behind it," she added. The journalist also spoke about how losing her dad changed her life. "I live my life every day trying to exemplify the life lessons instilled in me by my father and mother and hope one day my children will do the same," she said. Banderas went on to welcome two other children, who sadly never got to meet their maternal grandfather.

The year after Banderas' dad's death, the TV personality spoke about him on Fox News to celebrate what would have been his birthday. She confirmed he passed after being diagnosed with Parkinson's, which has been linked to low dopamine levels in the brain. "I speak for all of us when I say, Dad, I hope you're watching from a better place. We love and miss you dearly," she said, speaking on behalf of herself and her siblings (via YouTube).

Though Julie Banderas is the proud mom of three children, she's shared her regret over not expanding her brood of two daughters and one son. In an interview with Fox News, she admitted she didn't have big dreams of becoming a mom when she was younger and put off welcoming kids. "Never in my wildest dreams did I know what I was missing. If I had started having children at a younger age, I would've had more. Maybe four, maybe five, who knows?" she admitted. "Having children has been the greatest joy of my life and I wish I would've had more time to have more," she sadly shared.

Though plenty of couples conceive when they're older, fertility drastically decreases as we age. Banderas celebrated her 50th birthday in 2024 and, according to a 2014 study, nearly 100% of women in their 50s are unable to conceive naturally. Though there are plenty of other options out there for the Connecticut native, including adoption, it sounds like she won't be carrying any more children.

Julie Banderas' relationship with her ex-husband Andrew Sansone came to an end in 2023 when she accused him of putting a knife to her neck. In tragic details revealed by Daily Mail, Banderas claimed the now former couple got into a heated argument at home that resulted in Sansone allegedly threatening her. Sansone was charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, but Daily Mail later confirmed Sansome had been found not guilty.

Banderas and Sansone's relationship was clearly rocky well before she announced their divorce on Fox News' "Gutfeld!" in 2023, though. In a joint 2009 interview with The New York Times around four years after they started dating, the news anchor admitted her and Sansone's romance had been far from smooth sailing. "We call this round four, because we got together, we broke up, we got back together, we broke up," she said shortly before they got married.

As a Fox News journalist, it goes with the territory that a lot will be said and written about you online — and much of it won't be complimentary. But that doesn't mean seeing it is easy. Julie Banderas admitted receiving a lot of negative messages during a 2006 appearance on "The Big Story Primetime Edition." "...My God, if I sued every person that said a bad thing about me on the internet, I would be a billionaire, and so would many of us here at Fox, 'cause people love to talk about us," she said (via MediaMatters). She added, "We take it. In fact, you know what? Bring it on. It's good — it's good publicity."

But the hate certainly didn't stop after that. Banderas has repeatedly had to hit back at online trolls, including in 2015 when one X, formerly known as Twitter, user slammed her for tweeting in Spanish. But Banderas stood her ground. "I'm in Colombia and writing a Colombian airline so I'll speak Spanish," she responded.

Banderas even had to clap back at President Donald Trump after he called out two Fox News journalists in 2019. "Never thought I'd say this but I think @johnrobertsFox and @GillianHTurner @FoxNews have even less understanding of the Wall negotiations than the folks at FAKE NEWS CNN & NBC!" he tweeted. Though Banderas wasn't Trump's target, she made it clear how detrimental his public, negative remarks were. "By going on Twitter and insulting two of our journalists @realDonaldTrump is putting a target on their backs. In turn his followers will then attack ... Bullying journalists is not Presidential. Period," she replied. We don't blame her for speaking out, because dealing with constant negativity and bullying online is seriously tough.