Fox News Channel has named Emily Compagno a full-time co-host of “The Five,” filling the seat left open when Judge Jeanine Pirro departed the network for the Trump administration. Compagno will officially join the top-rated panel program on September 8th. The promotion will require her to relinquish her current position on the network’s midday program, “Outnumbered.”
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott announced the move on Monday, August 24th, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Compagno will join the program’s three longtime conservative co-hosts, Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, and Jesse Watters. Former Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr. and Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov will continue alternating in the show’s liberal seat.
Compagno takes over the chair previously occupied by Pirro, who left Fox News in May 2025 after President Donald Trump selected her to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro had joined “The Five” as a permanent co-host in January 2022 after hosting “Justice with Judge Jeanine” for 11 years. The Senate later confirmed Pirro as the permanent U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., in August 2025.
As Trending Politics reported, Fox had relied on a rotation of network personalities to occupy Pirro’s former seat during the intervening period. Compagno appeared frequently on the program during that period, giving her an established rapport with its regular panelists. Her promotion provides the show with a permanent fourth conservative co-host as the midterms move into their final months.
Scott described “The Five” as a program that “remains a powerhouse and appointment viewing for millions of Americans.” She praised Compagno’s energy, talent, and work throughout Fox News Media while formally welcoming her to the program. Compagno’s position on “Outnumbered” will temporarily be filled by rotating Fox News personalities until the network selects another permanent co-host.
Compagno joined Fox News as a contributor and legal analyst in December 2018 before becoming a permanent co-host of “Outnumbered” in 2021. She has also hosted several programs for Fox Nation and previously led “The FOX True Crime Podcast with Emily Compagno.” Her book, “Under His Wings,” debuted at number one on both Amazon and The New York Times bestseller list during its first week.
Before entering television, Compagno practiced criminal defense and civil litigation and later worked as a federal managing attorney and acting director at the Social Security Administration. She earned a political science degree from the University of Washington and a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Compagno also served as captain of the Oakland Raiders cheerleading squad and traveled to Iraq and Kuwait to visit American troops during a USO tour.
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“The Five” celebrated its 15th anniversary in July and remains the highest-rated program in cable news. Fox News said the show averaged 3.6 million viewers during the second quarter of 2026, including 322,000 viewers in the advertiser-coveted 25-to-54 demographic. That performance marked its 19th consecutive quarter as cable news’ highest-rated program.
Compagno said she has long admired the panel and considers receiving a permanent place at its table an “incredible privilege.” She thanked the network for the opportunity and said she was eager to begin her new assignment. “I couldn’t be more honored to join ‘The Five,’ a team I have long admired and have been fortunate to work alongside over the years.”