Fox & Friends has been a consistent and reliable performer for Fox News. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary as cable news’ highest-rated morning program, it shows no sign of slowing down.
Built on the premise of informality, the trio of Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, and Lawrence Jones is seated on the show’s signature couch, discussing the day’s top stories. The fourth member of the morning show, Steve Doocy, appears on location from around the country reporting on special projects for the telecast.
For our latest 5 Questions For… series, we spoke to Kilmeade on the morning show’s longevity, which he says stems from them talking with their viewers, not at them. Kilmeade was also all in on the just-concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup, revealing he attended five matches, including the final.
TVNewser: Why has the Fox & Friends format enabled it to be this dominant for the past 25 years?
Kilmeade: The format has lasted because it’s always been about conversations, not just reading headlines. We talk about the stories that matter to people and give them the context behind the news. Over the years, we’ve found the right balance of reporting, analysis, and personality, but the biggest difference is that we talk with our viewers, not at them. Our producers are constantly evolving the show to match the news cycle and what resonates with Americans, but one thing has never changed: Fox (News) encourages hosts to be themselves. Viewers don’t want a manufactured personality; they want authenticity. The thing I hear most when I’m traveling is, “You’re exactly the same in person as you are on TV and radio,” or, “I feel like I already know you.” That’s the greatest compliment you can get, and I think it’s a big reason viewers have made us number one for 25 years.
How are you guys able to keep the chemistry going for all these years?
The chemistry works because we genuinely like and respect each other, and viewers can tell when that is real. We come from different backgrounds, different generations, and different parts of the country, but that is part of what makes the show work. We are not all supposed to see everything the same way, and neither does our audience. The key is that we listen to each other, we can disagree without taking it personally, and we still have fun. After all these years, that trust is what keeps the show feeling natural.
What would you say was your most memorable moment from the show during the past 25 years?
It’s hard to narrow it down because we’ve had a front-row seat to history for nearly 30 years. Being on the air the morning of September 11th and trying to make sense of what was unfolding in real time will always stay with me. I remember watching the first tanks roll into Iraq live during the opening of the war and then coming in the morning after the 2016 election when Donald Trump pulled off one of the biggest political upsets over Hillary Clinton in modern history. Those are the moments that remind you why live television matters. When history happens, our job is to help viewers understand it as it’s unfolding, and that’s a responsibility I’ve never taken for granted.
