Elisabeth Hasselbeck Departing ‘Fox & Friends’ For More Family Time

Elisabeth Hasselbeck announced Tuesday morning that she will soon be leaving Fox & Friends to focus on being a mother to her three children.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Leaving ‘Fox & Friends’

“I am taking a new position as CBO — chief breakfast officer — at our house with the kids, and that does mean that in about a month, I’ll be leaving my FOX News family,” she said on air, explaining that she wants to start spending her mornings at home. “I’m in a season where the kids need the best of me, not the rest of me.”

“This is a really, really hard decision but I know it is the right one and I thank you all at home for understanding,” Hasselbeck added.

Hasselbeck also released a statement about her departure from the morning show for the sake of her children with former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck – Grace Elisabeth, 10, Taylor Thomas, 8, and Isaiah Timothy, 6.

“Oftentimes, the most difficult decisions are between two great things,” Hasselbeck said. “Throughout my 14 years working in television, I have never experienced a more positive and thoughtful atmosphere than FOX News Channel, thanks to the strong leadership of Roger Ailes, who has created the best working environment a woman and mother could ask for.”

Ailes, the Fox News Chairman & CEO also weighed in on Hasselbeck’s decision, saying, “Elisabeth and I discussed this at length over several weeks, and while I would love for her to continue here, I respect her incredibly difficult, yet deeply personal decision. She has been a great addition to the Fox & Friends franchise.”

Prior to becoming a co-anchor on Fox & Friends, Hasselbeck spent nearly 10 years as a co-host on ABC’s The View. She first found fame as a contestant on Survivor.