FOX News host Ainsley Earhardt has revealed her fiancé Sean Hannity’s sweet nickname for her while opening up about rebuilding her life post-divorce.
The couple, who revealed their romance in 2020, are now set to marry as Hannity proposed just before Christmas during a candlelit ceremony in a church.
They live between New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, with Hannity, aged 63, greeting Earhardt, who is 48, each morning with the affectionate nickname, “Sunshine.”
“He calls me that because I bring the morning news to America with a smile,” she shared in a heartfelt interview with The Daily Mail from her apartment on Park Avenue.
The nickname is just one example of how the TV personalities’ once-private friendship blossomed into romance after they bonded over their respective divorces.
“I didn’t know Sean had gone through a divorce at first,” she said.
“Nobody did. It was very private.”
The Fox and Friends co-host finalized her split from former NFL quarterback Will Proctor in 2019, one year after filing for divorce.
They had married in 2012 after a blind date and welcomed daughter Hayden in 2015.
“I was a really strong Christian, and I wanted to be married forever to one person,” she said.
“Life didn’t work out that way for me.”
The couple now co-parent their nine-year-old daughter in Manhattan.
Each day, Proctor handles school drop-offs, while Earhardt handles pick-up.
“I wanted [Hayden] to be in a happy home, not just one I stayed in because we were married,” she said.
Earhardt credited her faith for helping her get through life’s toughest moments, from her and Proctor’s divorce in 2019 to her mother’s death in 2022.
“Even in the bad times, I saw God, I knew that He was with me and felt His presence and it lifted me up and carried me through,” she said.
Record-breaker Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is America’s longest-running host in cable news history.
He hit the landmark in April 2022 after racking up 25 years, six months, and 15 days (at the time) on the air.
He broke the record previously held by CNN’s Larry King.
“I am extremely grateful to Fox News Media and to our loyal, dedicated viewers whom I am proud to serve every night,” Hannity said in a statement.
The host first joined Fox’s primetime in 1996 as co-host of Hannity & Colmes.
The show pitted him against liberal host Alan Holmes – and against Larry King, who held the same timeslot on CNN.
He would eventually overtake King in the ratings battle.
Hannity has been the solo host of his self-named show at 9pm since 2009.
She added, “I learned a lot through it all – not to be judgmental. Things happen and you roll with the punches.”
Earhardt now juggles her morning TV gig with weekly trips to Florida, where she and Hayden spend weekends at Hannity’s $23.5 million home.
“We always do a family brunch after church on Sunday and then Hayden and I fly back,” she said. “I love my New York life too.”
The couple plans to have a small, private wedding with only their children present.
Hannity shares two adult kids with ex-wife Jill Rhodes.
“There will definitely be a prenup,” Earhardt noted. “It’s not romantic, but divorce happens.”
Despite being in the spotlight, they kept their relationship under wraps at first.
“We asked our boss first,” she said. “I really want your support because I’m crazy about this guy.”
They grew close on set, where Hannity quietly supported Earhardt during her roughest moments.
“He was just there for me when I was going through a really hard time,” she said.
“We just enjoyed each other’s company, and I fell in love with him.”
The couple’s relationship first surfaced in 2020 when Vanity Fair reported they were dating.
While they didn’t confirm it then, sources recalled the pair making a dramatic entrance by helicopter at Pete Hegseth’s wedding.
Both remained tight-lipped about their relationship publicly, with Hannity declining to comment and Earhardt prioritizing her kids.
Since going public with their engagement, fans have been eagerly watching for updates on their upcoming wedding.
Now settled in her lavish Manhattan apartment, Earhardt reflects on the strength it took to rebuild her life.
“Sometimes you can feel alone during those dark times, especially when you’re in the public spotlight, but life is great now,” she said.
“It’s a rollercoaster and it can be chaotic, but I’m loving every second of it.”
