Katie Pavlich, 37, has been confirmed as the permanent anchor in Ashleigh Banfield’s former 10 p.m. time slot, following Banfield’s decision to step away from her longtime primetime role. The change was announced on December 12, with Pavlich set to take over the hour in early 2026.

A New Direction for Primetime

While Banfield is not leaving NewsNation, she is stepping away from her crime-focused program, Banfield, to lead the network’s expanding true crime unit. Under the new arrangement, her podcast, Drop Dead Serious with Ashleigh Banfield, will also become part of NewsNation’s digital offerings.

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“I’m excited to channel the momentum of my Drop Dead Serious podcast brand towards NewsNation’s growing digital audience,” Banfield said in a statement. She added that the success of true crime reporting on streaming platforms has been “transformative” and said she was looking forward to helping shape and enhance NewsNation’s multi-platform strategy in the genre.

Initially, the 10 p.m. hour was scheduled to rotate hosts; however, the network later announced Pavlich would permanently take over the slot.

From Fox News to NewsNation

Pavlich has been a familiar presence at Fox News since 2013, frequently appearing on programs such as The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, and Fox News Sunday. Her new show will mark a shift in focus for the 10 p.m. hour, moving away from crime stories and toward daily political coverage.

According to the network, Pavlich’s program will focus on topics including free speech, culture, immigration, national security, and foreign policy.