Julie Banderas (born Julie Bidwell, September 25, 1973[a]) is an American television
news anchor for
Fox News.[2] She hosted Fox Report Weekend before moving to a weekday anchor role, and currently serves as a primary weekday fill-in anchor on programs such as America's Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, and Outnumbered. She is also a regular guest host on The Big Weekend Show and a frequent guest on Gutfeld!.
Early life and education
Banderas is the daughter of Fabiola R. and Howard Dexter Bidwell (1930–2010).[3][4] Her mother is an immigrant from
Colombia;[4] her father was a Navy veteran and civil engineer who started a company called Consolidated Precast, Inc.[1] Banderas has a sister and four half siblings from her father's first marriage.[1] She graduated with a bachelor's degree from
Emerson College.[3][5]
She joined
Fox News in March 2005 as a general-assignment reporter.[7]
In 2008, she replaced
Laurie Dhue as the anchor for Fox Report Weekend. In 2010, she took maternity leave with
Harris Faulkner assuming her responsibilities. She returned to Fox News from leave near the end of 2010 and was reassigned to the position of general news correspondent.
In June 2006, she gained international media attention for an on-air clash with
Shirley Phelps-Roper, former spokeswoman for the
Westboro Baptist Church,[8] about which she later stated, "These people should be arrested, and I understand the right to protest, but when you disgrace not only our fallen soldiers, but when you disgrace innocent young children, I swear. Lock 'em up. Throw away the key. Give 'em the death penalty. I think it's disgusting."[9]
In December 2022, Banderas announced on her Twitter account that she and Sansone had separated.[14] On February 9, 2023, Banderas announced on Fox's Gutfeld! that she was getting a divorce.[15]
Notes
^Banderas' birthday is September 25.[16] She was thirty-five years old on August 28, 2009.[3] Her full birthday, September 25, 1973, is calculated from these two facts.
^Banderas, Julie.
"Julie Banderas". Twitter. See top of page: "Born September 25".
Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2023.