If you’ve watched Fox News on weekends over the past two decades, Julie Banderas is likely a familiar face. People search her name to learn about her two-decade run at the network and her path through several local newsrooms before that. This article covers what’s actually confirmed about her career and life.
Background
Julie Banderas, born Julie Bidwell, is an American television news anchor for Fox News. She hosted Fox Report Weekend for many years before shifting into a weekday anchor role, and currently serves as a primary weekday fill-in anchor across several network programs.
Before joining Fox News in 2005, Banderas built a career at local television stations across several states, a common path for national anchors that gave her broad experience covering everything from small-town news to national breaking events.
Her coverage over the years has included major stories such as Hurricane Sandy, the 2013 New York City mayoral race, and the crash landing of a Southwest Airlines flight at LaGuardia Airport, work that earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Newscast in 2004.
She’s also known for a notable on-air moment in 2006 when she clashed with a controversial protest group during a live interview, a segment that drew significant media attention at the time.
Her ability to fill in seamlessly across multiple different Fox News programs, rather than anchoring a single fixed show, also reflects the kind of flexible, veteran skill set the network relies on to keep its daily lineup covered.
Latest Update
As of August 19, 2026, here is what’s currently known. Julie Banderas continues to serve as a primary weekday fill-in anchor for Fox News, appearing on programs including America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, and Outnumbered. There is no confirmed report of a network change or major personal news event as of this date. Search interest in her name tends to track whichever program she’s currently filling in on.
Quick Fact Check: No unverified health or personal-life claim about Julie Banderas should be treated as confirmed unless reported by a credible outlet. As of August 19, 2026, she remains an active Fox News anchor.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Banderas was born Julie E. Bidwell on September 25, 1973, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Howard Dexter Bidwell, a Navy veteran and civil engineer who founded a company called Consolidated Precast, Inc., and Fabiola R. Bidwell, an immigrant from Colombia. She has a sister, Melissa, and four half-siblings from her father’s first marriage, giving her a large blended family background that she has referenced in past interviews about her upbringing.
Career Path
Banderas began her broadcasting career at WLVI-TV in Boston, then worked as a local news anchorwoman for WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, Virginia, WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, and WNYW in New York City. She joined Fox News in March 2005 as a general-assignment reporter.
In 2008, she replaced Laurie Dhue as anchor of Fox Report Weekend, and also became a rotating anchor for America’s News Headquarters. Her live coverage of major events, including the 2013 New York City mayoral race, the crash landing of Southwest Flight 345 at LaGuardia Airport, the inauguration of Pope Francis, and Hurricane Sandy, drew strong audience response. She took maternity leave in 2010, later returning to a general news correspondent role, and currently serves as a primary weekday fill-in anchor on America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, and Outnumbered, in addition to guest-hosting The Big Weekend Show and appearing on Gutfeld!. She won the 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Newscast for her coverage of the Republican National Convention.
Her earlier work at WNYW in New York City also gave her direct experience in one of the country’s most competitive local news markets before she made the jump to a national cable network.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Before 2005 | Worked as a local news anchor at stations in Boston, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut |
| March 2005 | Joined Fox News as a general-assignment reporter |
| 2008 | Became anchor of Fox Report Weekend, replacing Laurie Dhue |
| 2013 | Provided live coverage of major stories including Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath |
| Ongoing | Primary weekday fill-in anchor on America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, and Outnumbered |
Age
Banderas was born September 25, 1973, making her 52 years old as of this update.
Religion
Banderas’s specific religious affiliation and practice have not been confirmed through any verifiable public source or interview. This detail is unconfirmed.
Spouse/Partner
According to Wikipedia, Banderas was married to Andrew Sansone from 2009 until their divorce in 2023. The couple has three children.
Net Worth
There is no officially disclosed net worth figure for Julie Banderas. Estimates found online are unverified and not confirmed by any primary source, so no specific number is repeated here. This detail is unconfirmed.
Parents
Banderas’s parents are Howard Dexter Bidwell, a Navy veteran and civil engineer who died in 2010, and Fabiola R. Bidwell, an immigrant from Colombia to the United States.
Height
No officially confirmed height figure exists for Banderas from any primary or verified source. This detail is unconfirmed.
Education
Banderas earned a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College in Boston, graduating in 1996, which laid the foundation for her subsequent local and national television career.
Hometown/State of Origin
Banderas was born and raised primarily in Hartford, Connecticut.
Official Social Media
You can follow Julie Banderas’s public updates through her official Fox News personality page.
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Who is Julie Banderas?
Julie Banderas is an American television news anchor for Fox News, known for hosting Fox Report Weekend and currently serving as a primary weekday fill-in anchor.
Where did Julie Banderas work before Fox News?
She worked at local television stations including WLVI-TV in Boston, WHSV-TV in Virginia, WBRE-TV in Pennsylvania, WFSB-TV in Connecticut, and WNYW in New York City.
Is Julie Banderas married?
She was married to Andrew Sansone from 2009 until their divorce in 2023, and the couple has three children.
What awards has Julie Banderas won?
She won the 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Newscast for her coverage of the Republican National Convention.
What stories has Julie Banderas covered?
She has provided live coverage of major events including Hurricane Sandy, the 2013 New York City mayoral race, and the crash landing of Southwest Flight 345 at LaGuardia Airport.
Where did Julie Banderas go to college?
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College, graduating in 1996.
Is there confirmed news about Julie Banderas leaving Fox News?
No. As of August 19, 2026, there is no confirmed report of her departing the network.
What programs does Julie Banderas currently fill in on?
She serves as a primary weekday fill-in anchor on America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, and Outnumbered, and also guest-hosts The Big Weekend Show.
What was Julie Banderas’s Emmy Award for?
She won the 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Newscast for her coverage of the Republican National Convention, an early highlight of her broadcasting career.
Wrap-Up
Julie Banderas’s career reflects a steady progression through smaller television markets before landing at Fox News, where she has now spent more than two decades covering some of the country’s biggest breaking news stories. Her Emmy-winning coverage and long run anchoring Fox Report Weekend established her as one of the network’s dependable weekend voices.
Her family background, including her mother’s immigration from Colombia and her father’s Navy service and engineering career, adds a distinct personal dimension to her biography that occasionally surfaces in profiles of her.
Personal details beyond her marriage, divorce, and education remain limited in reliable public sources, so this profile leaves items like her exact net worth marked as unconfirmed rather than guessing.
Her transition from a single weekend anchor role into a broader, multi-program fill-in position also shows how her value to the network has grown over time, since that kind of flexible assignment typically goes to anchors with deep institutional trust.
For her current appearances, checking Fox News’s weekday and weekend programming directly remains the most reliable way to catch her latest anchoring work.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.