Jill Rhodes is an American former journalist and editor best known as the ex-wife of Fox News host Sean Hannity, whom she married in 1993 and divorced in 2019. Long before millions of viewers knew Hannity’s name, Rhodes was a political writer at The Huntsville Times in Alabama, and she stood beside him as he climbed from local talk radio to national fame. For more than 25 years, she chose a private life over the spotlight, raising their two children, Patrick and Merri Kelly, far from the cameras. This article covers her early life, her career in journalism, her love story with Hannity, their amicable divorce, and what we know about her life today, based on reports from trusted news outlets.
Jill Rhodes Bio at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jill Rhodes |
| Known For | Former journalist; ex-wife of Sean Hannity |
| Date of Birth | Reportedly August 27, 1962 |
| Age (2026) | About 64 years old |
| Birthplace | Alabama, United States (reported) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in journalism, University of Alabama (reported) |
| Profession | Journalist, political columnist, book editor, TV editor |
| Notable Employer | The Huntsville Times |
| Ex-Husband | Sean Hannity (married 1993, divorced 2019) |
| Divorce Made Public | June 2020 |
| Children | Sean Patrick Hannity (born 1998) and Merri Kelly Hannity (born 2001) |
| Social Media | No public accounts |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Current Status | Lives a private life away from the media |
What Do We Know About Jill Rhodes’ Early Life?
Jill Rhodes grew up in Alabama, and most reports place her birth on August 27, 1962. That date lines up with news coverage from June 2020, which listed her age as 57 when her divorce became public.
She has never shared details about her parents, siblings, or childhood in public interviews. Unlike many celebrity spouses, she never used her family connections to build a personal brand, so her early years remain largely private.
Several profiles report that she studied journalism at the University of Alabama and earned a bachelor’s degree there. Her later career as a political writer fits this background well, since the role demanded strong reporting and writing skills.
Growing up in the South also shaped the start of her career. She began working in Alabama newsrooms, where she built a reputation for covering local politics and public affairs.
How Did Jill Rhodes Build Her Career in Journalism?
Jill Rhodes built her career as a political columnist at The Huntsville Times, one of the main newspapers in northern Alabama. In the early 1990s, she covered local politics, candidates, and public debates in Huntsville.
Her work put her in regular contact with people across the city’s political and media scene. Local radio hosts, campaign staff, and elected officials often reached out to reporters like her for stories and comments.
After her newspaper years, Rhodes moved into book editing. According to Nicki Swift, she was working as a book editor by 1998, which showed how her writing skills carried over into publishing.
Some reports also say she later worked as an editor on Hannity’s Fox News programme. However, she stepped back from full-time work after their children arrived and focused on raising her family.
Since her divorce, there has been no public record of any new professional role. She appears to have chosen a quiet life over a return to the media world.
How Did Jill Rhodes Meet Sean Hannity?
Jill Rhodes met Sean Hannity in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1991, when he hosted an afternoon talk show on local station WVNN. At the time, she was a political columnist for The Huntsville Times, according to Wikipedia’s account of Hannity’s early career.
Reports say Hannity first contacted her for story ideas and left her frequent voicemails. The two spoke often by phone before they ever met face to face.
They finally met in person in 1992 at a mayoral debate that Hannity helped organise. That meeting turned a professional connection into a romance.
Soon after, Hannity received an offer to host a talk show at WGST in Atlanta. According to We Got This Covered, Rhodes agreed to move with him on one condition: that he marry her. He agreed, and the story became a favourite detail among fans of the couple.
When Did Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity Get Married?
Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity married in 1993, shortly after he began his radio career in Atlanta. The couple kept their wedding private, and no photos or guest lists ever made their way into the press.
Their marriage began just before Hannity’s big break. In 1996, he joined the newly launched Fox News Channel, and the family later settled on Long Island, New York.
As Hannity became one of the most recognised faces in American cable news, Rhodes stayed out of the public eye. She rarely attended red carpet events and almost never gave interviews.
Friends and colleagues described the couple as close and supportive of each other. Their marriage lasted over 25 years, a long run for any couple in the world of television and politics.
Who Are Jill Rhodes’ Children?
Jill Rhodes has two children with Sean Hannity: a son, Sean Patrick Hannity, born in 1998, and a daughter, Merri Kelly Hannity, born in 2001. Both grew up in New York and graduated from Cold Spring Harbor High School.
Tennis has long been at the heart of family life. Both Rhodes and Hannity love the sport, and they encouraged their children to play from a young age.
Patrick went on to attend Wake Forest University in North Carolina, where he played on the tennis team. Reports note that he held a strong 4.2 GPA in high school.
Merri Kelly attended the University of Michigan, where she also played tennis. Michigan Women’s Tennis described her as a five-star recruit, and she earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honours in 2023.
Rhodes played a central role in guiding both children through school, sport, and college. Even after the divorce, she and Hannity continued to share parenting duties closely.
Why Did Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity Divorce?
Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity never gave a public reason for their divorce, but both described the split as amicable. They quietly finalised the divorce in 2019 and confirmed it to USA Today in June 2020.
Their joint statement said, “Sean and Jill are committed to working together for the best interests of their children.” It also noted that they had reached their agreements amicably and remained close as parents.
According to Yahoo News, the couple had actually separated years before the public announcement. They asked for privacy for their children and said neither would comment further.
The news surprised many viewers, since the pair had kept their marital life so private. Still, the lack of drama around the split stood out in a media world full of bitter celebrity divorces.
What Is Jill Rhodes’ Relationship With Sean Hannity Today?
Jill Rhodes remains on very good terms with Sean Hannity, and the two continue to co-parent their children as a team. Reports describe a warm, friendly bond rather than a cold truce.
According to Nicki Swift, the former couple still share family dinners and attend tennis tournaments together to support their kids. One source described them as “great parents” and said that “when together you don’t even realize they split.”
Hannity has been in a relationship with Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt since 2019. He proposed to her on Christmas Day 2024 at a church in Florida.
Reports say Hannity and Earhardt told Rhodes and the children about the engagement ahead of time. Rhodes has not spoken publicly about it, but reports suggest she supported the news.
What Is Jill Rhodes Doing Now?
Jill Rhodes now lives a quiet, private life away from the media. She has no public social media accounts, and she has not given interviews since her divorce.
Her current job, if any, remains unknown. Most reports agree that she has focused on family life and her children’s growth into adulthood.
Hannity moved his home and his shows from Long Island to Florida in recent years. Rhodes has not made her own location public, and she continues to protect her privacy.
Her choice stands out in an age when many celebrity ex-partners turn their fame into reality shows, podcasts, or book deals. Rhodes has done none of these things, and that restraint has earned her quiet respect.
What Is Jill Rhodes’ Net Worth?
Jill Rhodes has never disclosed her net worth, and no reliable source has confirmed a figure. Some websites publish estimates, but none cite verified financial records.
Her income came from her work as a journalist, book editor, and TV editor. However, her long marriage to one of the highest-paid hosts in cable news likely shaped her finances most.
The terms of her divorce settlement were never made public. As a result, any exact number you see online should be treated as guesswork rather than fact.
Why Does Jill Rhodes Stay Out of the Spotlight?
Jill Rhodes stays out of the spotlight because she has always valued privacy for herself and her children. Even during the peak of Hannity’s fame, she avoided interviews, public appearances, and social media.
Her background as a journalist may explain part of this choice. She understood how the media works and knew how quickly a private life can become public.
Protecting her children seems to have been her top priority. By keeping a low profile, she allowed Patrick and Merri Kelly to grow up, study, and compete in sport with less public attention.
This quiet approach has also shaped how people see her today. Rather than a celebrity spouse, many readers view her as a grounded mother who built her own career before stepping back for family.
Conclusion
Jill Rhodes built a solid career as a political journalist in Alabama before a chance meeting changed her life. She married Sean Hannity in 1993, raised two accomplished children, and supported him as he rose to national fame. Their divorce in 2019 stands out for its kindness, and the pair still share family dinners and tennis matches. Today, Rhodes lives a private life by choice, proving that success does not always need a spotlight.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jill Rhodes
1. Who is Jill Rhodes?
Jill Rhodes is an American former journalist and editor best known as the ex-wife of Fox News host Sean Hannity. She worked as a political columnist for The Huntsville Times in Alabama, later edited books, and raised the couple’s two children. She now lives a private life away from the media.
2. How old is Jill Rhodes?
Jill Rhodes is about 64 years old in 2026. Most reports list her date of birth as August 27, 1962. News coverage from June 2020 gave her age as 57 when her divorce from Sean Hannity became public, which matches that birth date. She has never confirmed it herself.
3. When did Jill Rhodes marry Sean Hannity?
Jill Rhodes married Sean Hannity in 1993. The couple met in Huntsville, Alabama, and began dating around 1992. When Hannity accepted a radio job in Atlanta, Rhodes reportedly agreed to move with him only if he married her. They kept the wedding private and stayed married for over 25 years.
4. When did Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity divorce?
Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity quietly finalised their divorce in 2019. They did not announce it until June 2020, when they confirmed the news in a joint statement to USA Today. They described the split as amicable and said they remained committed to working together for their children’s best interests.
5. How many children does Jill Rhodes have?
Jill Rhodes has two children with Sean Hannity. Their son, Sean Patrick Hannity, was born in 1998 and played tennis at Wake Forest University. Their daughter, Merri Kelly Hannity, was born in 2001 and played tennis at the University of Michigan. Both children share their parents’ love of tennis.
6. What did Jill Rhodes do for a living?
Jill Rhodes worked as a political columnist for The Huntsville Times in the early 1990s. She later became a book editor, and some reports say she also worked as a TV editor on Hannity’s Fox News show. She stepped back from full-time work to raise her children after they were born.
7. How did Jill Rhodes meet Sean Hannity?
Jill Rhodes met Sean Hannity in 1991 in Huntsville, Alabama. He hosted a talk show on local radio station WVNN, and she wrote about politics for The Huntsville Times. He contacted her for story ideas through frequent voicemails, and they met in person at a 1992 mayoral debate he organised.
8. Are Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity still friends?
Yes, Jill Rhodes and Sean Hannity remain on very good terms. Reports say they still share family dinners and attend their children’s tennis tournaments together. Their joint divorce statement stressed close co-parenting, and sources say the pair get along so well that people barely notice they have split.
9. Is Jill Rhodes on social media?
No, Jill Rhodes does not have any public social media accounts. She has kept her personal life private for decades, even while her ex-husband became one of the most famous hosts on American television. Any accounts that claim to be hers online are not verified and should be treated with caution.
10. Who is Sean Hannity engaged to now?
Sean Hannity is engaged to Ainsley Earhardt, a co-host of Fox & Friends. The pair began dating around 2019, and Hannity proposed on Christmas Day 2024 at a church in Florida. Reports say they told Jill Rhodes and the children about the engagement before sharing it with the public.
