Janice Dean was a longtime Fox News meteorologist who joined the channel in 2004. During her tenure on the network, she served as a morning weather anchor and senior meteorologist for Fox & Friends, in addition to contributing to Fox Weather coverage.
However, in July 2026, Dean bade farewell to Fox News after 22 years with the network. He retirement was not age-related, but rather brought on by health concerns due to her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, which she had battled for several years.
Below is a detailed look at her exit from Fox News and what she has been up to since then:
Multiple sclerosis progression caused Janice Dean to step back from her role
Janice Dean announced that she was leaving Fox News in June 2026 through a video message on her X account. In the video, she opened up about her battle with multiple sclerosis, a condition she was diagnosed with in 2005.
She also revealed her symptoms had progressed and she was no longer able to continue in her Fox News role:
“There’s no cure for MS and over time my symptoms have progressed. Unfortunately, lack of sleep and stress are some of the biggest triggers and I was increasingly feeling the effects of my limitations.”
Dean also revealed that the early morning schedule required for her role was taking a toll on her. Consequently, her doctors had advised her to step away for her health.
A tearful on-air goodbye
The video Janice Dean shared on X was her official retirement announcement and a goodbye message for fans. However, she returned to Fox News on July 10, 2026, where she delivered a final farewell on Fox & Friends.
In the farewell, she reminisced about her experiences and milestones during her 22-year tenure with the network. She also expressed her gratitude to her fans in an emotional goodbye:
“I want to say to the audience, I have loved every moment you have invited me into your living rooms every single morning.“
Janice Dean post-departure controversy
Dean’s departure from Fox News was bittersweet. However, shortly after, she shared a series of posts on her X account, where she claimed that the network had prevented her from speaking out against Andrew Cuomo, former New York governor.
“Someday I’ll tell you all the story of how I was banned to talk about Andrew Cuomo after I spent years speaking out about what he did to seniors during COVID,” read one of her posts.
Dean was a huge critic of Cuomo’s Covid-19 response after she lost her parents-in-law to the virus in an assisted living home.
In more posts shared on X, she claimed that Fox News had betrayed her and vowed to reveal more information in the future now that she was not under a contract:
“I have many, many, many stories. Sometimes I can’t believe the stuff I’ve been through. But I’m free now.”