The Real Reason Ainsley Earhardt's Husband Filed For Divorce
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Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt and her husband, William Proctor, have separated, and, unfortunately, they didn't appear to end things amicably. The Fox News TV journalist announced their split on Oct. 1, 2018, in a statement obtained by the Daily Mail. Proctor, an investment advisor and former football player, filed the paperwork for a divorce in Manhattan Supreme Court the following day. So, just what caused Earhardt and Proctor, who've been married for six years, to call it quits on their marriage?
At the time of this writing, neither Earhardt nor Proctor have publicly spoken out regarding the specific reasons for their break up, but there are a few curious possibilities about what may have prompted their separation. Keep reading to learn all about the potential reasons why Ainsley Earhardt and William Proctor are heading toward divorce. Warning: Things are about to get messy.
She's in a relationship with her job
Ainsley Earhardt has been laser-focused on her career at Fox News and beyond in recent years. In fact, her career at the news channel didn't even really start until after she'd married William Proctor in 2012. That's when she began appearing on the small screen as an overnight anchor before snagging her own segment called "Ainsley Across America" on The Sean Hannity Show, reported Elle. Soon after, she became a host of Fox & Friends First and later of Fox & Friends — a gig she snagged while on maternity leave.
So, when Earhardt mentioned the media giant during her reveal that she and Proctor had separated, it likely came as no surprise to her fans — or to Proctor. "After much prayer and careful consideration, Will and I have separated," she said, in part (via the Daily Mail). "I am grateful to Fox for their support and allowing me to spend all day, every day after the morning show with my child."
In his own statement, Proctor appeared to bash the news network for its role in helping Earhardt release her announcement to the press. He noted that he would continue trying to keep a friendship with his wife, "even though she has decided to move on, and The Fox Public Relations Machine has decided to go public" (via the New York Daily News). Ouch.
Her busy schedule may have been an issue
Ainsley Earhardt's high-profile career likely caused her to spend quite a bit of time away from her family — particularly her husband. As noted in a feature on My Morning Routine, Earhardt starts her day by waking up at 3 a.m. She's studies her notes, gets glammed up by a hair and makeup team, and dives into Fox & Friends with co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade at 6 a.m. That morning show wraps at 9 a.m., but before the day's over, she also answers work emails and prepares for the next day's show.
That kind of schedule takes a lot of family flexibility, which Earhardt noted in a 2016 chat with Glamour. "I rely on my husband in the mornings because I'm working," she said. "At night I have to study for the show, and I rely on him a lot. He'll say, 'Ainsley, you keep studying, I've got this.'" Granted, it sounds like Proctor was more than supportive in both his role as a father, and of Earhardt's ambitions, but it's easy to see how the couple wasn't able to spend much quality time together. Over a long enough timeline, that kind of dynamic can become difficult even for relationships with the strongest foundations.
Did her side hustles take precedent?
Considering Earhardt's already hectic schedule balancing her Fox News gig and the full-time duties of motherhood, it's pretty surprising that she takes on additional projects. As of this writing, she's authored three books in three years: Take Heart, My Child: A Mother's Dream (2016), Through Your Eyes: My Child's Gift to Me (2017), and The Light Within Me: An Inspirational Memoir (2018). That's a lot of output for any writer, let alone one who also holds down a steady TV job. And she doesn't have any plans to stop, as she told Elle in August 2018, "If God tells me to write another book, then I will."
If Earhardt and Proctor already work different shifts, and she then spends what little free time they may possibly have together prepping for Fox & Friends and/or writing books, when did they have time for each other? Of course, we're doing a lot of speculating here, but just piecing together the clues left behind by Earhardt herself, it's not hard to do the relationship math.
He may have cheated
Nothing causes a marriage to crumble faster than infidelity, and according to Page Six, that may have been the case for Ainsley Earhardt and William Proctor. A source told the publication that Proctor allegedly cheated on his wife with one of Earhardt's pals. "Proctor was unfaithful with one of her closest friends a few years ago and there is evidence to prove it," the insider claimed.
"It was all the more devastating for Ainsley that he cheated with someone who she considered one of her closest friends," a source told the Daily Mail. "Any marriage break-up is difficult but this made it extra heartwrenching for her."
Proctor has insisted that dirt is simply not true. "There is not one ounce of truth to the allegations that I had an affair," he said after filing for divorce from Earhardt.
She was over the relationship
If the rumors about William Proctor's cheating are true, then we understand why Ainsley Earhardt may have decided to end their marriage. A spouse's infidelity isn't an easy thing to forgive and forget. Sources told the Daily Mail that Earhardt and Proctor had tried working on their relationship for years following Proctor's alleged affair, but it seems that wasn't enough to help Earhardt and Proctor reconnect and move on together. An insider close to Proctor told Page Six, "Ainsley has determined that she is not interested in reconciliation." The insider added, "Her social life now revolves about her colleagues at Fox News."
Considering Proctor revealed he was "devastated" about his split from Earhardt in his public statement regarding their divorce — and that he "did not envision this for the future of [his] family" — it appears Earhardt was the one who determined that it was time to go their separate ways.
This is her second divorce, and it marks a strange pattern
When it comes to failed marriages, this isn't Ainsley Earhardt's first rodeo. Long before the South Carolina native walked down the aisle with William Proctor, she was married to a man named Kevin McKinney, according to the Colombia Star.
Hitberry describes Earhardt and McKinney as college sweethearts who tied the knot in 2005. Sadly, their marriage didn't make it to the four-year mark, and there were rumors that things came to an end after McKinney allegedly engaged in an extramarital affair. Sounds familiar?
McKinney has maintained a rather low-profile since the divorce, and neither has spoken out about what really went wrong in their marriage. However, if infidelity is the common denominator in not one but two of Earhardt's now-defunct marriages, perhaps it's time she take a breather from the dating world and focus on some restorative self care.
How will this impact their daughter?
It's always sad when a marriage ends, but it's even worse when children are involved. Ainsley Earhardt and William Proctor have one child together, daughter Hayden, and we're certainly worried about her. Page Six noted that Proctor's divorce filing in Manhattan Supreme Court likely means that he's expecting to fight with Earhardt over both finances and custody of their kid.
However, we're happy to report that it appears both Proctor and Earhardt are determined to do whatever is in the best interest of their daughter. "I remain focused on and committed to being the best Dad," Proctor said in his statement. Similarly, Earhardt previously stated, "I am fully committed to parenting and doing what is always best for my darling, little girl and would appreciate privacy and prayers during this difficult time."
Let's just hope these two continue to put Hayden first throughout their divorce proceedings, no matter how difficult things may get between them.