“Fox & Friends” Steve Doocy will step back from his full-time co-hosting obligations and will be joining his colleagues Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt and Lawrence Jones remotely three times a week starting later this month at a decamp forever in Florida.
Doucy fought back tears Thursday morning as he announced that it was his last day to be with a co-host from a midtown Manhattan studio.
“After decades of awake at 3:30 and driving to New York in the darkness, today is my last day to host the show… from the couch,” Doocy told viewers on Thursday's broadcast. “I'm not retired. I haven't left the show. I'm still a host. But it's time for a change.”
Doocy, who turns 70 next year, will serve as a full-time remote host for “Fox & Friends” and covers ground features like the show's popular diner segment.
Recent examples include his live dispatch from Chicken N Pickle, a pickle ball venue in the suburbs of Kansas City.
He reports from across the country, with Kilmead, Eahalt and Jones continuing to serve as hosts from New York Studios.
Doucy said he counted more than 6,800 predawn awakenings and more than 31,000 hours of live television from the show's iconic “Kirby Couch.”
He said he was relieved he was taking on a new role that allowed him to trade sleepless mornings with his family for time – and a more flexible schedule.
“Remember the 80's Dunkin' Donut Commercial? Does the alarm clock go away at 3:30? “It's time to make a donut.”
“If my alarm clock awakens my wife, Cathy, she always says, 'It's time to make a donut' for the past 30 years since my alarm clock was turned off.' And I say, you're right, “Now is the time to make donuts,” I get up and go to work. ”
According to Doocy, artificial intelligence helped to calculate how often the alarm sounded – 6,828 times.
“It's women and gentlemen, a lot of donuts,” he said. “That's a great job…but I'll suck time.”
In effect, Doocy will contribute remotely three days a week as the show's new “coast-to-coast host” as its broadcast in Florida and beyond.
The move comes after a discussion with Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News, who Doocy called “friends for over 30 years.”
“She gave me a great option — to keep working on this show… not every day,” Doucy explained.
“It's essentially a Johnny Carson contract. Remember Johnny worked at Burbank for three days. I'm based in Florida.
The strategic location of Florida allows Doocy to submit stories from countries that are often overlooked.
“I'm going to the key from Carolina, from Central America to Mar Lago,” he said. “Please call me a coast-to-coast host.”
This shift also marks Doocy's personal milestone. Doocy admitted that morning TV has been working on family life.
“When the kids grew up, I never had breakfast with them. I was here. Kathy did it all,” he said.
“But starting tomorrow, I plan to have breakfast with my grandchildren and children as much as I can.”
This new chapter began with a visit to Washington, D.C. to meet his newborn grandson, George, and then travelled to Dallas to visit his daughter, Sally, husband, Ali, and his growing family.
“They needed more space… because Sally has a boy in July,” Doucy said with pride.
Doocy has assured viewers that he has not retired. “I will continue to be part of this couch crew for commentary, and you have trusted me for years.
He sincerely gave his behind-the-scenes colleagues, from security and café crews to makeup teams and studio producers, giving executive producer Megan Albano a special nod to accommodate his new schedule.
Doocy has returned from his daily hosting duties, but he has promised that he is not a stranger.
“As for casting on the couch that I love and worship, if this was my last day I'll work with you again, waterwork would be flowing. You know me.
“I'm transitioning from 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to 'time to ',” he said.
“Stick it out now.”
