Fox News has a romantic buzz, as two of the network’s most prominent and recognized figures are confirmed to be in a romantic relationship.
Entertainment Tonight has exclusively reported that Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt, both hosts at the network, are officially dating after The Daily Mail released pictures of them vacationing together in Palm Beach, Florida, with the 46-year-old TV host’s 7-year-old daughter.
Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt are reportedly dating and were photographed sitting arm-in-arm at a restaurant and traveling together with Earhardt’s 7-year-old daughter in Palm Beach (Credit: Lev Radin / Shutterstock)
During their recent outing, Earhardt was spotted wearing a beach dress with a palm tree motif and stylish sunglasses.
At the same time, the 61-year-old conservative political commentator donned a clean button-up shirt and black pants, opting to ditch his tie for a more relaxed look.
Other photos obtained by the outlet showed the couple arm-in-arm while enjoying breakfast at a Waffle House in South Carolina in January and cuddling up over corn on the cob at an Oyster festival on Long Island last Fall.
It is not the first time the couple has generated romance rumors, as it’s been three years since they were initially romantically linked.
However, they mainly had stayed coy about their relationship and restrained when being seen together in public before their PDA photos circulated.
Earhardt, who has a daughter named Hayden with her ex-husband, former Clemson Tigers quarterback Will Proctor, filed for divorce in October 2018, six years after the couple wed in October 2012.
Kevin Wayne McKinney is another former husband of Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt. They got married on April 9, 2005, but divorced in 2009. They met while attending the University of South Carolina.
On the other hand, Hannity was married to former journalist Jill Rhodes for more than 20 years, and they have two children together: son Sean, 24, and daughter Merri, 22. They separated secretly for several years before publicly declaring their divorce in 2020.
Fox host Ainsley Earhardt on stage as We The Kingdom performs during the “Fox & Friends” Summer Concert Series at FOX Studios on July 29, 2022, in New York City (Credit: Roger Wong / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
According to the source that talked to Daily Mail, Hannity and Earhardt “are extremely happy together and have been for a while. It’s not a surprise to anyone who knows them, but they’re very private people and prefer to keep their personal life private and lowkey.”
The insider noted, “They started out as best friends, and the relationship evolved over time,” adding, “He’s a generous and kind guy, and she is just an incredibly wonderful person – they’re a really sweet couple with so much love for each other.”
“Sean adores Ainsley’s daughter, Hayden,” the source added, which was evident during their trip to Florida.
According to a Vanity Fair report in June 2020, just weeks after it was revealed Hannity and Rhodes had discreetly divorced years ago, citing numerous people at Fox, the couple had been dating for “quite some time.”
A Fox staff told the outlet, “I knew they were involved. I saw it when we were all together,” while a friend of Hannity said, “It wasn’t even that hidden.”
Sean Hannity speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, on August 4, 2022 (Credit: Lev Radin / Shutterstock)
Another Fox staff even revealed that Earhardt was filming Fox & Friends remotely from Hannity’s home in Oyster Bay, Long Island, during the pandemic.
According to the source that talked to Page Six, “The rumors started because Sean lives on Long Island, and Ainsley rented a house in the Hamptons during the pandemic. Sean has a studio at his home, and Ainsley has been using his studio as her remote broadcast location for Fox & Friends.”
Another informant claimed that the two were “100 percent dating,” while a different source said, “They have been quarantining together in Oyster Bay.”
However, when asked to address the rumors, Hannity remained tight-lipped and said through a Fox News spokesperson, “I do not discuss my personal life in public.”
Meanwhile, Earhardt vehemently denied any romantic involvement, saying, “Right now, I am focused on raising my daughter, and I am not dating anyone. As anyone at FOX News will tell you, Sean is a wonderful person, and whomever he chooses to date will be extremely fortunate.”
Despite their claims, the couple’s colleagues at Fox News were privy to the undeniable affection and intimacy between the two, as evidenced by various photographs.
According to a source that spoke to Daily Mail, “Ainsley and Sean are genuine, lovely people who are both truly beloved at Fox News, so everyone at the network has been happy for them for a while. Sean was there for Ainsley through her mother’s illness last fall (who passed away in October 2022) and was by her side picking up all the pieces – she leaned on him during some extraordinarily difficult times.”