Janice Dean, the senior meteorologist whose steady presence and upbeat style have become fixtures of Fox News programming, announced this week that she is taking a temporary leave from the network to address ongoing health issues.
In a message shared on social media, Dean said she has been stepping back from both Fox News and online activity because she has “some health issues that require rest and time to heal.”
Dean, well known to viewers of Fox & Friends for her weather coverage and frequent on-air appearances, said that her colleagues and supervisors at the network have responded with support. “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 wrote, underscoring a workplace culture that, in her telling, has encouraged employees to prioritize well-being when necessary.
Her post offered a direct explanation to viewers who had noticed her absence. “I’ve always been up front and honest about my life, and I felt I owed you an explanation of my absence,” she said. “But, I will be back. Grateful to you all for the kind words.”
Dean, 55, has long been candid about her health, particularly since her public acknowledgment that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005, a condition she first revealed in 2008. Though she did not disclose the specific issue prompting her latest break, her post made clear that recovery would require time and rest. The uncertainty of her return date reflects the unpredictable nature of MS and other chronic illnesses, which often demand periods of recuperation.
Her diagnosis, she has said in past interviews, came during one of the most demanding stretches of her career. “I think with every MS sufferer you have that light bulb moment that something’s not right,” she told Fox News at the time. She recalled that “it was during the 2005 hurricane season because it was such an active year, and I just felt really rundown, which isn’t like me. I’m a workaholic. I’m used to working long hours. And I remember thinking that I needed to make sure I took some time off because I was just so exhausted.”
In her announcement this week, Dean also described a recent trip to Rome with her husband, Sean, which she said helped her begin “healing spiritually.” Now, she added, she is focused on “feeling healthy and strong.”
Her message was characteristically forthright, reflecting both her rapport with viewers and her position at a network where she has become a trusted voice on and off camera. While her future return date remains unspecified, Dean’s commitment to returning — and her appreciation for the support she has received — was clear. “I’m ok,” she assured her audience, adding that the time away is simply part of the process of “getting back to feeling healthy and strong.”
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