'Fox & Friends' Host Janice Dean Is Stepping Away From the Show for Personal Reasons — Here's Why

She is the host of one of America's longest running news shows, and Janice Dean is no stranger to the Fox News fanbase. Through the years, she has been the face of Fox in different capacities for two decades, first as a meteorologist and then as a host of Fox & Friends.

So, it was understandable for fans to worry when she announced that she would be stepping away from work temporarily. Rumors began to fly, and people assumed the worst, speculating wildly about her reason for stepping away and what that might mean for the future.

Janice took to social media to set the record straight. Here's what we know about what happened to her.

The furor all started in November, when Janice made the surprising Instagram announcement that she was stepping away from work for a while.

She started by writing, "I wanted to let you all know that I’m taking a break from work (and social media) for a bit. I’m OK, but I’ve had some health issues that require rest and time to heal. My bosses at Fox have been kind and understanding, and I feel blessed to be able to take a break to be with my family."

She added, "The trip to Rome with Sean was a good place to start healing spiritually, and now I have to get back to feeling healthy and strong." The Fox host then noted, "I’ve always been up front and honest about my life, and I felt I owed you an explanation of my absence. But, I will be back. Grateful to you all for the kind words.”

Janice has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the past, which is a progressive autoimmune disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

As the disease progresses, each person will experience different symptoms and will have different complications. But rest is paramount for those dealing with multiple sclerosis, a topic which Janice herself noted in a follow-up post on social media on Dec. 18, 2025.

In a video she posted to Instagram, Janice clarified a few things, wanting people to understand that she's "not on her deathbed," as rumors had suggested. Rather, she's taking time to prioritize her health and spend time with her family, just as the doctor ordered.

She explained that it was important for her to rest, as it is for all people with MS, and that her grueling schedule, which includes waking up at 2:30 a.m. to film, didn't allow her the necessary rest. Janice says she was getting to the point where if she didn't slow down, "Something bad would happen."

But Janice seems to be thriving during her down time, and acknowledged how nice it was to wake up with her kids. Hopefully for fans, she'll be back after some time to recharge.