Julie Banderas’ breakup exposed: The story behind the surprising broadcast, two years on

Julie Banderas has never been one to sugarcoat things, especially not when it comes to love, loss, or live television.

Back in February 2023, the longtime Fox News anchor made headlines when she announced her divorce on air, casually dropping the bombshell during a Valentine’s Day segment on the late-night comedy show Gutfeld!.

“Well, I am going to get a divorce,” she declared, straight-faced but smirking. “I’m going to say it right here for the first time… Congratulations are in order!”

Cue the applause, and the internet explosion.

The Viral Valentine’s Moment

It wasn’t just what she said. It was how she said it.

With signature sarcasm, Banderas called Valentine’s Day a “stupid, Hallmark holiday” and joked that even when she was married, she “didn’t get s**.”*

The moment was unscripted, brutally honest, and deeply Banderas. And it quickly went viral.

Fans praised her for her candor. One viewer joked, “You’re not an adult until you’ve been divorced once,” to which she coolly replied, “Yeah, like 13 years ago.”

A Look Back at the Marriage

Banderas married Andrew Sansone in August 2009 at the historic Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. Sansone, a financial advisor and media entrepreneur, was the founder of Old Rock Media and Big Apple Channel.

For years, they seemed to have built a picture-perfect life together: three children, two dogs, and a comfortable home life, at least on the surface.

Banderas often joked about her domestic reality online. Her Instagram bio once read, “Basically I’m a full-time cleaning lady who goes to my TV job to relax.” And as early as December 2022, she referred to Sansone publicly as her “soon-to-be ex.”

By the time her divorce announcement aired, her husband had quietly disappeared from her social media feed. Her fans noticed.

The Quiet Collapse — and the Courtroom Twist

While Banderas never laid out the specifics of what caused the split, it was clear that tensions had been simmering. The most serious development came in late 2022, when Sansone was arrested for allegedly threatening Banderas with a steak knife.

The case was later dismissed, with the judge reportedly questioning whether the charges were exaggerated. Still, the incident marked a clear breaking point. And any hopes of reconciliation vanished.

Despite the legal hiccup, Banderas has since said she’s never been happier. The divorce wasn’t messy, she insisted. It was necessary.

Where She Stands Today

As of 2025, Julie Banderas remains single, unapologetic, and focused squarely on her kids, her career, and her personal reinvention.

She’s still a sharp-tongued staple on Fox News and regularly interacts with her audience on social media, sharing everything from mom life moments to political zingers.

And when one fan commented on her post-divorce glow-up, she had the perfect reply:

“Thank you for noticing! It’s called, divorce.”

Turning the Page — Literally

Banderas has also pivoted into something unexpected: children’s books.

In 2022, she released Fiona’s Fantastical Fort, a story about perseverance that gained new meaning amid her own life changes. Two years later, she followed it up with A Monumental Mistake, part of BRAVE Books’ Freedom Island series.

Both books reinforce the same themes she’s embraced publicly: resilience, strength, and moral clarity, even in chaos.

Final Take

Julie Banderas didn’t just survive her divorce. She owned it.

She turned what could’ve been a tabloid moment into a viral declaration of independence, backed it up with a clean break, and moved forward on her own terms.

And in true Banderas fashion, she did it all with sarcasm, strength, and zero apologies.