Fox & Friends star Janice Dean confirms she’s leaving after 22 years to focus on MS battle as voice cracks in sweet vid
A BELOVED Fox News star has confirmed she is leaving the network as she continues to battle an incurable disease.
Meteorologist Janice Dean announced in November she was taking a break from work and revealed on Thursday that she needed to step away for good.
Dean, a star of Fox & Friends, shared a video on X confirming through a cracking voice that she would be stepping away from work due to continued struggles with multiple sclerosis.
The veteran journalist was diagnosed 20 years ago with the autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system and breaks down the protective covering of nerves.
“Ultimately, my symptoms progressed to the point that I can no longer continue working in my role, and my doctors agreed and said stepping away was necessary for my health,” she said.
“There’s so many things I’ll miss, the friends I’ve met, of course, the places I’ve visited, the storms I’ve covered, and the millions of viewers who have invited me into their homes every morning.”
Dean, 55, said she was taking a break from work and social media “for a bit” in November, saying she “had some health issues that require rest and time to heal.”
She was diagnosed with MS in 2005 but didn’t reveal it publicly until 2023, calling the disease an “invisible illness.”
MS interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body, and can cause symptoms of weakness, blurry vision, fatigue, slurred speech, numbness and tingling, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In November, she said she “will be back,” but revealed on Thursday, after months away, that she will be saying goodbye to television news following a 22-year run.
“For a long time I was able to handle the early mornings, the many hours on my feet and the stress of broadcasting live.
“Getting up at 2:30 in the morning and performing anything is hard, but especially for someone who has multiple sclerosis.”
Dean said she has been on different therapies over the last two decades to help manage her MS symptoms, but with no cure for the disease, her symptoms have intensified.
“Unfortunately, lack of sleep and stress are some of the biggest triggers, and I was increasingly feeling the effects of my limitations,” she said.
“But, I know how lucky I was, and that’s why it’s so hard to finally say the words,” Dean said as she began to choke up.
“So maybe I’ll call this my mostly sunny goodbye because for every goodbye, there’s always the next hello and maybe the chance to meet again, one day, in a different place, at another time.”
“Throughout her 22-year career with FOX News Media, Janice Dean has inspired viewers with her warmth, resilience, and dedication,” a spokesperson from Fox News Media said in a statement to The U.S. Sun.
“Her willingness to share her personal journeys has touched countless lives and served as a source of strength and encouragement to many.
“We fully support Janice’s courageous decision to step away from her role as senior meteorologist on FOX & Friends and are grateful for her many contributions.”
Dean joined Fox News Channel in January 2004 before moving her way up to senior meteorologist for the network.
She has also served as the morning meteorologist on Fox & Friends during weekdays from 6am to 9am.
She began her journalism career in Ottawa, Canada, holding several positions there before reporting in New York and Texas.
