The Tragic Truth About Fox News' Most Famous Hosts

Fox News is the go-to news source for millions of Americans. Even some viewers who staunchly disagree with Fox News' conservative outlook tune in to see what's happening on the network, presumably interested in checking out the other side's perspective. Part of what makes the network so successful is the on-air talent. Many of the Fox News hosts have been with the network for years, if not decades, ostensibly earning the trust of audiences who share the views they promote on the small screen.

And many fans of these on-air personalities aren't just interested in their thoughts on national security and who they want to see elected president. There are viewers who want to know more about their favorite host's life off camera, too — who they're married to, whether they have children, what they like to do in their free time, and so on. The hosts do indulge every so often and offer glimpses into their personal lives to the audience, both on TV and on social media. While a number of the updates they share tend to lean positive, the network's stars have also opened up about grief, health struggles, and more. Here are some of the most tragic details about Fox News' most famous hosts.

Ainsley Earhardt is a Fox News face that many people wake up to each morning. She's an anchor on "Fox and Friends," and she's been a fixture of the network for years. Before Earhardt began her relationship with Sean Hannity, she was married twice. In 2017 — when she was still married to her second ex-husband, Will Proctor — Earhardt opened up about motherhood in an essay for Women's Health. In the piece, she noted that she didn't want to have kids until she was in her mid-30s, and she didn't start trying until she was nearly 40.

Earhardt's road to motherhood wasn't easy, though. She and her ex-husband struggled to get pregnant, and her first pregnancy tragically ended in a miscarriage. "The doctor searched for a heartbeat, but there wasn't one. Was this really happening to us?" Earhardt wrote of the moment she learned she had lost her baby. Subsequently, Earhardt had to undergo a procedure to remove her miscarried baby from her body. "I felt despair — knowing my child and I would be permanently separated — but I was also anxious for it all to be over. I wanted to put this behind me so I could try for another baby again immediately," Earhardt said. 

Earhardt's story didn't end in tragedy. A couple years later, she carried a pregnancy to term and welcomed a baby, a daughter she shares with Proctor.

Harris Faulkner has been a staple on Fox News for years. As the host of "The Faulkner Focus" and the co-host of "Outnumbered," Faulkner dominates the station for a two-hour block each day, delivering news, interviewing guests, and providing her opinion on certain topics. Like all news anchors, Faulkner was particularly busy in 2020 thanks to the presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic. The end of that year was particularly difficult for Faulkner as she lost her beloved father on Christmas morning. "My dad Ret. Lt. Col. Bobby R. Harris has died. I shall remain silent for a bit, while our family's Christmas North Star takes his place in heaven," Faulkner shared on Instagram.

Faulkner has since opened up more about the toll her father's death took on her, particularly on her faith. In an interview with The Christian Post, Faulkner said that she struggled with both grief and her Christian faith in 2021. "My heartbreak was overwhelming. And with churches locked down across my home state of New Jersey, it was very difficult to have spiritual connectivity and support. I began to pray less and cry more in my loss. It was a ridiculous recipe for someone who was raised by parents who taught the opposite," she said. While packing her father's belongings, Faulkner found his bible, which included personal notes about his favorite verses. The finding was instrumental in reviving Faulkner's faith, and it led her to write her book "Faith Still Moves Mountains: Miraculous Stories on the Healing Power of Prayer."

Greg Gutfeld has been on Fox News since 2007, and he's built quite the fanbase. In addition to serving as one of the core hosts on the popular afternoon show "The Five," he hosts the top-rated late-night program "Gutfeld!" While he keeps most details of his personal life private (the Fox News host became a first-time father at 60, but he stays relatively mum about parenthood), Gutfeld did open up about a tragic personal loss he suffered in 2014: his mother died. Shortly after her death, Gutfeld penned a tribute to his mother, noting all the ways she supported his interests and career. "​​None of my work would have been possible without my mother's love and support. I am hopelessly sad that she is gone – because I could never really imagine her not being here, watching me, her son, work," Gutfeld said.

Gutfeld also used the essay to share a bit of his mother's personality, noting how strong she remained when she lost her husband, Gutfeld's father, to cancer when Gutfeld was young. The television personality also hinted at his mother having a great sense of humor, capping off his essay by saying, "The day that my mom died, she received her driver's renewal notice from the Department of Motor Vehicles. She would have found that hysterical. Hopefully, somewhere she is laughing."

Laura Ingraham is the longtime host of "The Ingraham Angle," a position that has made her one of the most popular on-air personalities at Fox News. Before pivoting to TV, Ingraham was a radio host, and it was during her stint as a radio host that she endured a major health scare. At age 41, Ingraham was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her doctor found a lump in her breast during a routine exam. The cancer was still in the early stages, and Ingraham had to undergo aggressive treatments that included two surgeries, six weeks of chemotherapy, and radiation. "It was a rocky time. But, my faith, family and national radio audience helped me through it. The outpouring of love and support from coast to coast was awe-inspiring," Ingraham told Memorial Hermann of her cancer treatment.

While Ingraham does want to support others with cancer, especially those who aren't sure what steps to take in the face of a diagnosis, she doesn't want to be defined by her diagnosis. In an interview with Survivor Net, Ingraham admitted that she purposely doesn't participate in many interviews about her past illness. "A lot of people just want to go through their thing and not be perceived as an object of pity or a victim. I certainly relate. I never wanted to dwell on it. Some people love to talk about it. I didn't. I just wanted to get through it and then move on," Ingraham said.

Martha MacCallum has been with Fox News for over 20 years. She's the host of "The Story with Martha MacCallum," which airs every weekday, she hosts a podcast called "The Untold Story with Martha MacCallum," and she anchors for the network during election coverage. MacCallum has expressed pride over the work she's done with Fox News and before it, and she's noted how hard she's worked to achieve her success. However, her success hasn't come without challenges. In a 2017 essay written for Time, MacCallum responded to being referred to as a "blonde Barbie doll" by another political commentator by sharing some details about her career's past. "Early in my career, I was subjected to harassment in the form of some unwelcome suggestive comments and overtures. It was ugly and if ever I felt like I was being perceived as a 'Barbie Doll,' it was then. I'm grateful that I was able to shut it down and move on," MacCallum wrote.

In the essay, MacCallum also expressed her hope for a better future, especially given the attitude toward perpetrators of harassment at the time. "I want my daughter to live in a world where she never has to fear that this will happen to her, and, if it does, she will know that speaking out will not harm her or her career in any way," MacCallum said.

After serving as Donald Trump's press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany joined Fox News to share her expertise and political views. McEnany co-hosts "Outnumbered" each day, and she hosts "Saturday in America" on the program's eponymous day. Before working with Trump or at Fox News, though, McEnany took a major step toward learning more about her health by testing for the BRCA2 genetic mutation, which puts carriers at a significantly higher risk of developing certain cancers, including breast cancer. McEnany had a family history of the disease, and her mother had tested positive for the genetic mutation. Like many women who test positive for BRCA2, McEnany's mother had her breast tissue surgically removed to prevent breast cancer.

When she was just 21 years old, McEnany tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, too. Given her age and relationship status at the time (McEnany was single and worried about dating after having a mastectomy), McEnany opted to monitor her breast health with regular mammograms and MRIs, and she continued that for 10 years. Then, at age 31, six months after her wedding, McEnany underwent a preventative double mastectomy. The surgery was a success, and McEnany has since used her platform to share her story and encourage other women to be proactive about their health. "I'd like to think I'm strong, but my strength is enveloped in fear, a fear that is assuaged by women who have made this same decision," McEnany said of her decision to have surgery, per Fox News.

Another former White House press secretary, Dana Perino has been at Fox News for well over 10 years. She's involved with the network in multiple ways, including hosting "America's Newsroom," "The Five," and the podcast "Perino on Politics." On "The Five," Perino has shared her love for animals, and for many years, her favorite animal was her dog Jasper. However, in 2021, Perino and her husband shared some heartbreaking news about her beloved pet. "It is with broken hearts that Peter and I have to let you know that Jasper, America's Dog, died today. A fast spreading cancer caused him to leave us sooner than we'd ever hoped. We got to send him off — talking about all the fishing he can do in Heaven," Perino said on Instagram.

Shortly after the dog's death, Perino wrote a tribute to her beloved pet that was published on the Fox News website. The political commentator shared that after having Jasper accompany her on air so often, she had more fans asking her about her dog than about politics. "I miss him so much. I'm not sure how I'll be without him. But I know I'm better for having known him and to have held him as we said goodbye," Perino wrote about Jasper. But Perino and her husband didn't stay dogless forever. A couple months after Jasper's death, they welcomed a new puppy named Percy.

Lots of anchors have been with Fox News for many, many years, but few have been with the station as long as Bret Baier. The host started with Fox News in 1998, and he's worked his way up to executive editor of his own show, "Special Report with Bret Baier," along with the many other jobs he holds for the network. Baier has been married to his wife since 2004, and they share two sons. In 2019, while on their way to the airport after a ski vacation in Montana, the family got in a horrific car accident.

In a statement to People, Baier shared some details of the frightening crash. "Thanks to a man driving by named Zach who stopped and helped, we were able to climb out of the flipped car. And thanks to the first responders and Montana Highway Patrol — we made it to the hospital quickly," he said. Baier had been scheduled to appear on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" a few days later, but was unable to due to the accident. "We just found out that [Baier] and his family were in a car accident in Montana. Bad, like, jaws of life to get him out of there. They were all in the hospital but they're going to be OK. And we just want to say: we hope you're doing better," Colbert said on air, per Mediaite.

Jessica Tarlov is technically considered a contributor at Fox News — not a host — as she's a rotating co-host at "The Five" and contributes to various programs on Fox News and Fox Business Network. Because she provides a liberal voice among a conservative network, it's unlikely Tarlov will ever have her own show on the network, but she's still got plenty of Fox fans. Tarlov was familiar with the entertainment industry growing up as her mother worked as a screenwriter and her father as a producer, among other careers. In 2021, making for one of the most tragic events in Tarlov's life, her father died from cancer.

"My amazing Dad passed away. The below doesn't do him justice – what an incredible life he led! He gave everything to his many careers, but he gave the absolute most to me, my sister, and our Mom who he loved so completely. Grateful he met Alex, his grandson Harry and 5B," Tarlov shared on X. His death came shortly after Tarlov's wedding, and it kept the two from being able to study together at Columbia University in Tarlov's effort to pursue a PhD (what would've been her second). Tarlov also once noted that her father was one of her many Fox News viewers, but because he got so nervous before her appearances, Tarlov's mother had to watch before he could.

Jeanine Pirro has been a fixture in the media for decades. With Fox News specifically, she was a contributor before joining the network in 2011 as the host of "Justice with Judge Jeanine," which aired for about 11 years. Jeanine appeared on other shows on the network like "Tucker Carlson Tonight," "Gutfeld!", "Fox and Friends," "Hannity," and "The Five," among others, before her exit from Fox News in 2025. Prior to her time on Fox News, Jeanine was a fixture in the news thanks to her work as an attorney, a judge, a political candidate, and a bureaucrat.

Jeanine's ex-husband, Albert Pirro, was in the news quite often, too. The two were married for nearly 40 years before officially divorcing and their relationship was tested several times thanks to Albert. In 2000, Albert was convicted on 34 counts of conspiracy and tax evasion, and he was subsequently sentenced to 29 months in federal prison. He was released after 11 months, and Jeanine stayed with him through the scandal.

Scandal struck the Pirro family again a few years later when it was reported that Albert had fathered a child with another woman. About a year later, in 2007, the two announced their separation. "We have agreed to amicably separate. As always, our priority remains our two wonderful children. We ask that people respect our privacy," their statement said, per the Daily News. Their divorce was finalized in 2013.