If you turned on a television in Toronto during the mid-1980s, you didn't see a buttoned-up political correspondent. You saw a guy with a legendary mullet. John Roberts, known back then as "J.D. Roberts," was the face of MuchMusic, Canada's answer to MTV. He was interviewing rock stars, not presidents.
Honestly, the jump from VJ to Fox News reporter John Roberts is one of the wildest pivots in modern journalism. You’ve probably seen him lately co-anchoring America Reports with Sandra Smith, or maybe you remember him dodging verbal fire in the White House briefing room. But there is a lot more to the guy than just a sharp suit and a steady delivery.
Why John Roberts Left CNN for Fox News
People still argue about this. In 2011, Roberts walked away from a high-profile gig at CNN to join Fox. Critics called it a political shift; Roberts called it a career move to the "New York Yankees" of news.
The move wasn't just about ratings, though those were (and are) massive. He wanted to get back to his roots in the field. He started at Fox as a national correspondent based in Atlanta, which is a far cry from the anchor desk in New York. Basically, he was willing to do the grunt work again to prove he belonged.
It paid off. By 2017, he was the Chief White House Correspondent. Covering the Trump administration wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Roberts often found himself in a weird spot: respected by the administration but also willing to push back when things got heated.
Remember the 2020 exchange with Kayleigh McEnany? Roberts demanded a "clear-cut" denunciation of white supremacy from the podium. He caught flak from all sides for that one. Some viewers thought he was being too hard on the White House; others thought he wasn't being hard enough. That’s kinda the story of his career—occupying that uncomfortable middle ground where nobody is entirely happy with you.
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The Health Scare Nobody Expected
In late August 2025, Roberts vanished from the air. Rumors swirled, as they always do, but the truth was actually pretty terrifying. He had contracted a severe case of malaria.
He didn't get it in DC. He’d been on vacation in Indonesia and brought back a literal parasite.
"I had been hurting from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Literally everywhere. I was also beset with uncontrolled shivering all during my show," Roberts told PEOPLE after his hospitalization.
It’s easy to forget these people are human. We see them behind a desk with perfect lighting, but Roberts was sitting there on live TV with his body essentially failing him. He was treated with IV artesunate—the "big gun" for malaria—at Inova Health. He eventually made it back to the desk, but it was a sobering reminder of how fast things can go south, even for a guy who has survived war zones.
From Rock and Roll to the West Wing
Let’s talk about the mullet again. It’s important.
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Before he was Fox News reporter John Roberts, he was a VJ. He co-hosted The NewMusic. He was the guy who introduced a generation of Canadians to heavy metal and new wave. He even won awards for it.
Transitioning from "cool music guy" to "serious news guy" is usually a kiss of death. People don't take you seriously. But Roberts spent years at CBS News (nearly 15 years, actually) doing the hard work. He was embedded with U.S. Marines during the Iraq invasion. He covered the death of Pope John Paul II.
By the time he got to Fox, he had three national Emmy Awards under his belt. He wasn't a "personality" trying to do news; he was a journalist who happened to have a fun past.
A Career by the Numbers
- 1975: Started in local radio in Ontario.
- 1984: Helped launch MuchMusic.
- 1992: Joined CBS News.
- 2006: Moved to CNN.
- 2011: The big jump to Fox News.
- 2021: Promoted to anchor of America Reports.
The Reputation Gap
There is a massive divide in how people view Roberts. If you watch Fox, you likely see him as a fair, seasoned pro who brings a "just the facts" energy to the afternoon block. If you don't watch Fox, you might only know him through viral clips of his briefings.
The truth is somewhere in the nuance. He’s a member of the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. He’s covered every major disaster from Hurricane Katrina to the EF5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
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He also lives a "split-screen" life. His wife, Kyra Phillips, is a high-profile journalist at ABC News. Imagine those dinner table conversations. One spouse is at Fox, the other is at ABC, and they’re both trying to beat each other to the scoop. It sounds like a script for a TV drama, but for them, it’s just Tuesday.
What You Can Learn From His Trajectory
If you’re looking at Roberts’ career, the takeaway isn't about politics. It’s about the "pivot."
- Don't be afraid to start over. Roberts went from anchoring national morning shows to being a field correspondent in Atlanta. That takes a certain lack of ego.
- Specialization matters. He didn't just "do news." He became a Chief Medical Correspondent at CBS and later a Chief White House Correspondent. He found niches and owned them.
- Resilience is a requirement. Between the malaria scare and the high-pressure environment of the briefing room, the job is physically and mentally draining.
John Roberts isn't going anywhere. Even after the 2025 health scare, he was back at the desk as soon as the doctors cleared him. Whether he's talking about trade wars or tropical diseases, he remains one of the most recognizable faces in the business.
To stay updated on his latest reporting or his recovery, you can follow his social media updates on X (formerly Twitter) where he’s surprisingly active. If you’re interested in the mechanics of modern news, watching a few episodes of America Reports offers a masterclass in how to handle breaking news without losing your cool.