Fox News Gets Ratings Spike From Will Cain: 6 Things to Know About Cavuto’s Replacement

Will Cain has proved to be an instant hit after taking over the 4 pm weekdays slot on Fox News from Neil Cavuto.

According to Nielsen ratings, The Will Cain Show has averaged 2.86 million total viewers since it debuted on January 21, up a massive 96% when compared to the 4 pm hour during the same period last year, when Your World with Neil Cavuto was airing in the timeslot.

The former Fox & Friends Weekend co-host’s new show also saw a 68% boost when compared to the average viewership for 2024, which was marked as 1.7 million viewers. The timeslot was also up 82% from last year’s average in the key 18-49 demographic.

With Cain bringing new eyeballs to Fox News, here are six things to know about the ratings-grabbing anchor.

He Played Water Polo at University

Born and raised in Sherman, Texas, Cain later moved to California to attend Pepperdine University, where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications in 1997.

While at Pepperdine, Cain joined the water polo team as a walk-on, scoring his one and only goal in a 1996 game against UC Santa Barbara.

“Pepperdine water polo was extremely accommodating in its development of a walk-on such as me, and that’s something positively unique about this program,” he told pepperdinewaves.com in 2010. “I almost went to USC, and I’m sure that if I did have a water polo career there it would have been much shorter.”

Cain went on to complete his J.D. degree at the University of Texas School of Law in 2000.

He Joined Fox News in 2020

After University, Cain moved back home to care for his younger brother following the passing of their father in 2001. While in Texas, Cain bought two community newspapers and started others before selling them to Stephens Media. This would be the start of his career in news media.

He worked as a fill-in host for CNN’s In The Arena in 2011 and began working at ESPN in 2015 as a radio personality, eventually hosting his own show, The Will Cain Show, in 2018.

In 2020, he made the jump from ESPN to Fox News, serving as co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend alongside Jedediah Bila and Pete Hegseth. He also regularly filled in as a host on programs such as The Five and Jesse Watters Primetime.

He Is Close Friends With Pete Hegseth

After hosting Fox & Friends Weekend together for the past several years, Cain and Hegseth became close friends.

Speaking on the PBD Podcast in November 2024, Cain opened up about his friendship with President Donald Trump‘s secretary of defence, saying, “He is a real friend of mine, not a TV friend. I have said when I’m done here on this planet, I want him to be one of the guys to carry my casket.”

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He Is a Devout Christian

Cain has been open about his religious beliefs, revealing in an April 2024 X post that he’s an “open, devout Christian.”

During an appearance on Tim Green’s Nothing Left Unsaid podcast last year, he talked a little more about his religion, saying, “Life has a way of humbling you and bringing you more wisdom and understanding the limitations of intellectualism and making you realise the value of faith and your relationship with God.”

He Is a Family Man

Cain is married to a woman named Kathleen, who prefers to stay out of the spotlight. According to Yahoo, Kathleen is a dedicated philanthropist who has supported many charitable events.

In an interview with ESPN, Cain revealed he first met his future wife in college, but he “wasn’t mature enough” for her at the time. Five years later, the pair reconnected in Texas and eventually tied the knot.

The couple went on to have two sons, Charlie and West. Cain occasionally shares photos with his wife and children on social media.

 

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He Has the Support of President Trump

Cain has one highly influential fan in President Trump, who took to social media last month to congratulate the Fox News host on his new position.

Trump declared that Cain “will do a great job on his news show” because he’s “got what it takes for success.”

Cain told Fox News Digital that Trump’s words were “incredibly flattering,” especially having taken the time out to share them only 48 hours before Inauguration Day. “It makes me feel grateful,” Cain said

The Will Cain Show, Weekdays, 4 pm ET, Fox News