Fox News Anchor Julie Banderas Went Through A Nasty Divorce

Going through a divorce is never easy, and it's even worse when you're a celebrity and every messy detail is thrust into the spotlight. However, for Fox News anchor Julie Banderas, her decision to announce her divorce in a surprisingly candid remark on live TV was just the beginning of the messiness. The whole ordeal became headline news in February 2023, during an appearance on the right-leaning late night news talk show "Gutfeld!" when host Greg Gutfeld asked about her Valentine's Day plans.

"F*** Valentine's Day," Banderas said, surprising the host and the other guests. "It's stupid. I mean, even when I was married, I didn't get s*** for Valentine's Day." Banderas' comments surprised Gutfeld, who didn't know her marriage to Andrew Sansone had crumbled. "I am going to get a divorce," Banderas clarified. "I am going to go ahead and say it here for the first time." 

Banderas — who has faced several tragedies throughout her life — first announced that she and Sansone were engaged back in 2008, and the pair tied the knot in August 2009. During their marriage, the pair welcomed three children together, and seemed to be a solid duo. The marriage made Banderas one of the many Fox News hosts with gorgeous husbands, and they seemed happy. Then, in December 2022, Banderas announced that they'd separated. It wasn't until she revealed her intention to file for divorce on live TV that the world learned just how messy their split had already become.

On December 19, 2022, Sansone was arrested and charged with two misdemeanors. Banderas claimed that her estranged husband got violently furious when she'd eaten several spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, which he'd made for their children, and held a blade to her throat. Five days after the alleged incident, she called the cops and Sansone was taken into custody. She was also granted a restraining order.

Sansone adamantly denied that he'd threatened her, or held a knife anywhere near her. In August 2023, Sansone was cleared of the charges. According to Sansone, he'd jokingly grabbed a knife and never actually threatened Banderas with it at all, the Daily Mail reported. Banderas testified that she'd said in the past that she intended to fabricate a "really juicy story" for the press to pick up, as part of their combative divorce. The judge felt that Banderas' "candid admissions might be viewed as bearing upon the complainant's credibility."

However, Banderas maintained her position after the verdict. "I am deeply disappointed in the Judge's decision but I have profound respect for our justice system and understand how extraordinarily high the burden of proof is in criminal matters," Banderas said (via the Daily Beast). "I encourage every woman in toxic and controlling relationships who are victimized with threats and abuse, to continue to have faith in the system and not be dissuaded by what happened to me."