Fox & Friends First

Hosts

Current

• Carley Shimkus, co-host (2021–present)
• Todd Piro, co-host (2020–present)
• Janice Dean, meteorologist (2012–present)
• Chanley Painter, news anchor (2024–present)

Former

• Ainsley Earhardt: co-host (2012–2016), left to co-host Fox & Friends (replaced by Rob Schmitt)
• Heather Childers: co-host (2012–2020), was pulled from the air in March 2020 (after being sick on air during the COVID-19 pandemic)
• Rob Schmitt: co-host (2016–2020), was absent from the show before announcing he no longer worked for the network (replaced by Todd Piro)
• Jillian Mele: co-host (2017–2021), left to pursue a degree in October 2021 (replaced by Carley Shimkus)
• Ashley Strohmier: news anchor (2020–2024), left to anchor Fox News @ Night (replaced by Chanley Painter)
• Brooke Singman, politics reporter (2021–2025)

Synopsis

The show devotes to new developments of the latest overnight headlines and/or continuous coverage of breaking news. Due to the nature and time of the show, guests rarely appear, so it focuses more on updates of news stories with correspondents, analysis from the hosts, and politics.

When Fox and Friends First launched in March 2012, the show's executive producer, Lauren Petterson, described the show to Fox News Insider this way: "Think of Fox and Friends First like Fox and Friends on steroids. It will include all of the things you love about Fox and Friends – at warp speed. A cheat sheet, if you will, to all the day's big stories…"

Recurring segments/elements

• "Fox and Trends" – Chanley Painter shows the top three trending stories of the day
• "Weather" – Janice Dean presents the weather across the United States
• "Fox Business Headlines" – Cheryl Casone presents top stories that affect the markets
• "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" – hosts report three headlines in the morning and rate them into a category

Programming announcements and changes

In 2001, Fox & Friends, which aired from to Eastern Time Zone, was expanded by an hour to start at . The new hour was branded Fox & Friends First and was co-anchored by Alisyn Camerota. In July 2008, the hour was replaced by a third hour of Fox & Friends, and Camerota was named permanent anchor of the weekend edition of Fox & Friends.

In June 2011, rival cable news channel CNN began programming in the hour, with a one-hour extension of American Morning titled Wake Up Call, which was replaced in January 2012 following American Mornings cancellation by the two-hour Early Start. MSNBC already had started its news programming at that hour with two half-hour shows: Morning Joe First Look, a general news program which had aired since the mid-2000s, and Way Too Early (which leads into Morning Joe), which debuted in July 2009. In March 2012, Fox News confirmed that it was expanding its morning programming to begin at . The new one-hour show was named Fox & Friends First and serves as a lead-in to Fox & Friends. It debuted on March 5, 2012.

In its first week on the air, Fox & Friends First averaged more total viewers than other programs at CNN and MSNBC in the same time slot combined.

In October 2017, Fox News announced that the show will be expanded to two hours from to . The hour would be anchored solely by Heather Childers, and Jillian Mele and Rob Schmitt would present the hour. In July 2020, Childers had parted ways with Fox News after executives had expressed concern and anger about her coming to work and appearing visibly ill on air several months earlier during the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Jillian Mele was replaced by Carley Shimkus as a co-anchor.

In June 2023, Fox News announced that the show would be ending its 4am EST hour and only broadcasting from 5–6am EST with Shimkus and Piro remaining as co-hosts.

Location

Fox & Friends First is broadcast from Studio J at 1211 Avenue of the Americas (also known as the News Corp. Building), New York City. On March 19, 2018, Fox & Friends First has relocated to Studio D from its original location in Studio J for construction. The team moved back to Studio J on June 19, 2018.

References

References

1. "Media Relations | Fox News".
2. "Media Relations | Fox News".
3. (July 23, 2020). "Heather Childers Leaves Fox News; Had Been off Early Morning Slot Since Showing up Visibly Sick in March".
4. (April 26, 2021). "Did Rob Schmitt Abruptly Leave 'Fox & Friends First'?".
5. Tornoe, Rob. (October 29, 2021). "Fox News host Jillian Mele leaving the network to return to La Salle".
6. O'Connell, Michael. (March 1, 2012). "'Fox & Friends' Expanding by an Hour". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
7. K, Steve. (July 14, 2008). "Changes at Fox & Friends". [[TV Newser]].
8. Weprin, Alex. (June 20, 2011). "'Wake Up Call' With Ali Velshi To Launch Next Week". [[TV Newser]].
9. Weprin, Alex. (March 1, 2012). "The New Battleground of Cable News: 5 AM". [[TV Newser]].
10. Ariens, Chris. (July 15, 2009). ""Way Too Early" to Launch July 27". [[TV Newser]].
11. Shapiro, Rebecca. (March 1, 2012). "Fox News Expands Morning Show 'Fox & Friends' To Four Hours". [[The Huffington Post]].
12. Ariens, Chris. (May 3, 2012). "'Fox & Friends First' Goes on the Air". [[TV Newser]].
13. "'Fox & Friends First' Debuts". [[Fox News Channel]].
14. Ariens, Chris. (March 14, 2012). "In 5am Ratings Race, Fox News Takes Early Lead". [[TV Newser]].
15. Steinberg, Brian. (October 2, 2017). "Fox News Expands 'Fox & Friends,' Starting 'First' Broadcast at 4 AM". Variety.
16. Stelter, Brian. (July 22, 2020). "Fox News parts ways with a morning host who caused a Covid-19 scare". CNN.
17. Baragona, Justin. (April 23, 2020). "'Fox & Friends First' Host Heather Childers Complains About Fox News Benching Her During Coronavirus". [[The Daily Beast]].
18. (2023-06-01). "DETAILS: Fox News Cancels Steve Hilton's Sunday Show as Network Shakes Up Weekend Lineup".
19. Hill, Michael P.. (June 19, 2018). "'Fox & Friends First' becomes latest show to move to Studio J".