Anna Kooiman’s Return to U.S. Television: A Full-Circle Journey from Fox News to NewsNation

After years of international living, motherhood, and entrepreneurial growth, Anna Kooiman made a heartfelt return to American television—this time, on her own terms.

Once a staple of Fox & Friends Weekend and a familiar face to millions of cable viewers, Kooiman had traded fast-paced New York media for the golden beaches of Australia, motherhood, and a thriving fitness brand. But in 2022, everything came full circle when she quietly returned to Charlotte, North Carolina, the city where her broadcasting career first took off.

A Soft Landing in Charlotte

It all began with a family visit in 2021. What was supposed to be a temporary stopover turned into a turning point. During that visit, Kooiman reconnected with former colleagues and local TV executives at WCCB Charlotte, the same station where she had co-hosted Fox News Rising back in 2008.

By early 2022, Anna Kooiman was officially back on the air in Charlotte, this time as host of her own lifestyle show titled Your Day with Anna Kooiman. The program blended wellness tips, parenting insights, community stories, and lifestyle segments—a perfect match for the evolved version of herself.

“Coming back to WCCB felt like coming home in more ways than one,” Kooiman said in a local interview. “The city has grown, and I’ve grown too. I wanted to tell stories that matter to families, moms, and people trying to live a more balanced life.”

Though she was back on screen, it wasn’t the high-stakes, high-stress media environment of her Fox News days. This was more intentional, family-oriented, and flexible. With her two young children in tow—Brooks and Annabel—and her husband, Australian businessman Tim Stuckey, the family moved into her parents’ home while searching for a permanent place to settle.

“My mom cried when I left Charlotte in 2016,” Kooiman said in a humorous social media post. “Now she cries because we’re back, and the grandkids are running through the house.”

A National Comeback on Her Own Terms

Anna Kooiman’s return to Charlotte was just the beginning of a broader professional reawakening. In April 2024, she announced her return to national television by joining NewsNation Now as a weekend anchor. The move marked her first return to a major national network since leaving Fox News in 2016. But this time, Kooiman approached the spotlight with a renewed sense of purpose and control.

“I’ve learned that you can be a journalist without giving up your joy,” Kooiman shared in a behind-the-scenes clip from NewsNation. “I’ve worn a lot of hats—anchor, reporter, mom, business owner—and now I get to bring all of that experience to this next chapter.”

Her role at NewsNation allows her to blend national news coverage with human-interest reporting, wellness topics, and live interviews—mirroring the balance she sought when building her own brand abroad.

Building a Fitness Brand Down Under

During her time away from U.S. television, Anna Kooiman wasn’t idle. While living in Sydney, she launched Strong Sexy Mammas, a fitness and wellness platform designed to empower women—particularly mothers—to reclaim their health and confidence.

The brand started modestly, with Kooiman filming beachside workout videos during nap times and editing them in the evenings. It soon evolved into a robust online platform offering video-on-demand workouts, live coaching, and community-building tools.

Shot against the iconic backdrops of Bondi Beach and Sydney Harbour, Strong Sexy Mammas blended Kooiman’s background in health journalism with her real-life experiences as a mother navigating physical recovery, mental wellness, and body positivity.

“What made it different was authenticity,” she explained in a promotional interview. “I didn’t pretend to have it all figured out. I just wanted to help other moms feel strong again, one workout at a time.”

The platform continues to grow, now offering classes tailored to postpartum fitness, busy schedules, and mental resilience. In 2023, she began expanding the brand into the U.S., with plans to host pop-up workouts and wellness retreats in both Charlotte and New York.

Balancing Career, Motherhood, and Marriage

Today, Anna Kooiman’s life represents a rare mix of national visibility and local grounding. She continues to co-parent two young children with her husband, Tim, whose decision to move across the globe for love has become part of the couple’s enduring narrative.

The two originally met in 2012 in a Manhattan hotel bar, during a moment of unusual calm following Hurricane Sandy. Their love story spans continents—from first dates in Prague and Miami to a wedding in Central Park and finally life in Australia.

Kooiman has been candid about the personal trials behind her seemingly picture-perfect life. She suffered two miscarriages before welcoming her son in 2018 and daughter in 2020.

These experiences have informed not just her parenting style but her public work, where she often speaks about emotional health, body image, and the challenges of work-life balance.

On social media, her family life is a recurring theme: beach outings, kitchen baking sessions, and bike rides with her kids are frequently shared, offering followers a peek behind the scenes of her multifaceted world. Her posts often include motivational quotes, reflections on gratitude, and lighthearted moments that resonate with other working mothers and health-conscious viewers.

What’s Next for Anna Kooiman?

As of 2025, Anna Kooiman is navigating her most dynamic chapter yet. With a national platform at NewsNation, a growing fitness brand in Strong Sexy Mammas, and deep family roots in Charlotte, she’s redefining what it means to be a media personality in the digital age.

No longer confined to a single newsroom or time slot, she operates across platforms—television, social media, fitness coaching—while staying anchored in the values that matter most to her.

“I would choose Charlotte over New York any day,” she said recently from her childhood backyard. That statement encapsulates her current philosophy: choosing joy, balance, and authenticity over hustle, stress, and burnout.

Her future may include further brand expansion, authoring a wellness-focused book, or launching a podcast centered around motherhood and motivation.

Regardless of what comes next, one thing is clear: Anna Kooiman is not returning to the old version of media fame—she’s rewriting the rules, and doing it her way.

Conclusion: A Career Reimagined

Anna Kooiman’s return to the U.S. media scene is not a comeback in the traditional sense—it’s a reinvention. By combining family, business, and broadcast journalism into a unified purpose, she’s created a life that defies the limitations of traditional media roles.

Whether anchoring the weekend news or leading a beachside bootcamp, Anna Kooiman continues to inspire as a modern media mom who proves you can have it all—just not all at once, and certainly not without intention.