Janice Dean delivered an emotional farewell on Friday’s edition of Fox & Friends, marking the end of her 22-year tenure as the network’s senior meteorologist. The longtime weather anchor cited the physical demands of her early-morning schedule while living with multiple sclerosis as the reason for her departure.
Dean, a familiar presence to millions of viewers who began their days with her forecasts, announced her decision last month in a video posted to X. Friday’s appearance was her final regular segment on the morning program.
“I want to say to the audience, I have loved every moment you have invited me into your living rooms every single morning,” Dean said, fighting back tears. She recalled meeting viewers outside the Fox News studios, interacting with children during weather segments, and forming bonds that made the audience feel like an extended family.
Dean joined Fox News more than two decades ago and rose to senior meteorologist. Over the years she shared major personal milestones on air, including her engagement, the births of her two sons, and the loss of her in-laws during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her exit was not prompted by controversy or contract issues. Instead, she described the cumulative toll of rising at 2:30 a.m. while managing multiple sclerosis.
“Living with an illness, we don’t talk about this on TV, but getting up at 2:30 in the morning is a really tough thing, right? It’s tough on your body,” she said. “I did it for a long time, and I probably shouldn’t have done it as long as I did.” Dean added that she believes she is leaving at a point when she can still improve her health by stepping away from the high-stress role she loved.
She also paid tribute to her husband, saying he carried “the lion’s share” of responsibility for raising their sons during the years she left for work while most families were still asleep. The farewell felt, she said, like losing a second family.
“When you leave a career, a job, there is a grieving period because this has been part of my life,” Dean said. “You guys have been my second family… turning the page on this chapter has been really heavy.”
Fox News has not indicated whether Dean will remain with the network in another capacity. Her departure closes one of the longest and most recognizable runs in morning cable television.
