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Heidi Hatch (American Journalist)
Heidi Hatch, born on November 4, 1975, in Utah, is 50 years old and one of the most recognized news anchors in Salt Lake City. She anchors the evening newscasts at 5, 6, and 10 pm on KUTV 2News — a role she has held since joining the station in July 2011. Emmy Award-winning. Deeply rooted in Utah journalism. And with a career spanning more than two decades, she has earned both.
Hatch grew up in Utah and earned her Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Southern Utah University in Cedar City. Her first job in television was at KPAX CBS in Missoula, Montana. She then returned to her home state and joined KTVX ABC 4 in Salt Lake City, where she became the lead investigative reporter on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping — one of the most high-profile missing persons cases in American history. That coverage brought her onto national television, with guest appearances on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and The O’Reilly Factor.
From Salt Lake City, she moved to Orlando, Florida, spending five years anchoring a 5½-hour morning show at WOFL FOX 35. She covered NASA’s historic final Space Shuttle launches, tropical storms, and live tornado coverage. Then she came home again. Back at KUTV 2News in Salt Lake City, she won an Emmy for her reporting on the Brian Head wildfire and moderated Utah’s first prime-time Gubernatorial debate.
| Full Name | Heidi Hatch |
| Date of Birth | November 4, 1975 |
| Age | 50 years old |
| Place of Birth | Utah, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | News Anchor, Reporter, Journalist, Podcast Host |
| Employer | KUTV 2News, Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Current Role | Evening News Anchor — KUTV 2News at 5, 6, and 10 pm |
| Education | B.S. Communication: Broadcast/Journalism — Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah; Associate Degree in Arts & Sciences: Interpersonal Communication — Rick’s College (BYU-Idaho), Rexburg, Idaho |
| Career Start | KPAX CBS, Missoula, Montana (March 1998) |
| Notable Coverage | Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping, 2002 Winter Olympics Salt Lake City, Brian Head Wildfire (2017), 2012 and 2016 Presidential Elections, NASA Final Space Shuttle Launches |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Derek Hatch (married 25+ years) |
| Children | Two — Hailey Hatch (daughter), Jordan Hatch (son; born nearly three months premature) |
| Height | Approximately 5 feet 5–6 inches (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Religion | Not publicly confirmed |
| Political Party | Not publicly stated |
| Awards | Emmy Award — Brian Head Wildfire Coverage (2017); Multiple Emmy Nominations (Elizabeth Smart, Smurfit Stone Fire, Planking 101, KTVX News Team); Society of Professional Journalists Awards; AP Broadcaster of the Month; Bronze Broadcaster of the Year — Southern Utah University |
| Podcast | Take 2 (weekly political podcast) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $1 million – $5 million (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Salary | Estimated $60,000 – $120,000 annually (not officially confirmed) |
| Siblings | Not publicly available |
| Residence | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Pet | Shih Tzu |
How old is Heidi Hatch?
Heidi Hatch was born on November 4, 1975, in Utah, making her 50 years old as of 2026. She is an Emmy Award-winning news anchor at KUTV 2News in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she has anchored the 5, 6, and 10 pm newscasts since joining the station in 2011.
Early Life and Background
Heidi Hatch was born on November 4, 1975, in Utah, United States. She is a proud Utah native — something she has spoken about openly throughout her career. The exact city or town within Utah where she was born has not been made public, and details about her parents and siblings remain private as well. Hatch has always kept her family background away from the spotlight, sharing only what she feels comfortable with as a public figure.
What is clear is that Utah has always been home. Despite building her early career in Montana and spending five years in Florida, she always found her way back. That deep connection to the state has shaped not just her personal life but her work as a journalist. She has covered Utah’s biggest stories — from the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping to the Brian Head wildfire — with the passion of someone who truly belongs to the place she reports on.
Growing Up and Background
Heidi grew up in Utah at a time when local broadcast journalism was still the dominant way communities received their news. From an early age, she showed a clear drive toward storytelling and communication — a drive that eventually took her out of state to build the skills she needed.
Her first professional job after college was at KPAX CBS in Missoula, Montana. For a young journalist from Utah, relocating to Montana was a deliberate career move. It put her in a competitive newsroom where she anchored weekend newscasts, produced her own content, and reported for prime-time programs — all at once. That kind of early experience is rare, and it gave her a foundation most anchors spend years trying to build.
One question that comes up often about Heidi Hatch is whether she is LDS or Mormon. Given that she is a lifelong Utah native, the question is a natural one. However, Heidi has never made a public statement about her religious beliefs, and no verified source confirms her affiliation. That remains her personal matter.
Rick’s College (BYU-Idaho)
Before transferring to a four-year university, Heidi Hatch began her higher education at Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho — now known as Brigham Young University-Idaho. There, she earned an Associate Degree in Arts and Sciences with a focus on Interpersonal Communication.
Rick’s College gave her the early academic grounding she needed before narrowing her focus toward broadcast journalism. The communication studies she completed there — covering topics like public speaking, media, and human interaction — proved to be a natural fit for someone heading toward a life in front of the camera. It was a stepping stone, but an important one.
Southern Utah University
After Rick’s College, Heidi enrolled at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication with a specialization in Broadcast and Journalism. SUU is where her professional identity as a journalist truly took shape.
During her time at SUU, she did not just study journalism — she practiced it. She won the Bronze Broadcaster of the Year award, a student broadcasting honor that recognizes outstanding on-air talent and journalistic work among students at the university. It was an early signal that she was not just another student with a journalism degree. She was ready.
Southern Utah University remains the educational foundation behind one of Utah’s longest-serving and most respected news anchors. From Cedar City to Missoula to Salt Lake City to Orlando and back — every step that followed was built on what began at SUU.
Heidi Hatch Career
Heidi Hatch has spent more than two decades in broadcast journalism, building her career one city at a time. From a small CBS station in Montana to network-level coverage of some of America’s biggest news moments, her journey is one of consistent growth, hard work, and a deep commitment to her craft.
Early Career — Montana and ABC 4 Salt Lake City
Heidi Hatch launched her professional journalism career in March 1998 at KPAX CBS in Missoula, Montana. It was her first job out of Southern Utah University, and she threw herself into it completely. She anchored weekend newscasts, reported for prime-time programs, and produced her own content — all at the same time.
That kind of responsibility early in a career is rare, and she handled it well. During her three years in Missoula, she earned multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press, recognizing her work in both general news and feature reporting.
In March 2001, she left Montana and returned to Utah, joining KTVX ABC 4 in Salt Lake City. What followed was one of the most defining chapters of her career. She became the lead investigative reporter on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping — a case that gripped the entire country. Her reporting was so thorough and consistent that she became a trusted voice on the story, earning guest appearances on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and The O’Reilly Factor.
She also covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, one of the most celebrated sporting events ever held in Utah. In September 2002, she traveled to Washington D.C. and returned to the Pentagon on the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks — accompanying the family of Brady Howell, a Utah victim who lost his life that day. It was deeply personal coverage, handled with care and professionalism.
FOX 35 Orlando
In September 2006, Heidi made a bold move — she left Utah and relocated to Orlando, Florida, to join WOFL FOX 35 as a morning anchor on the station’s flagship program, Good Day Orlando. For nearly five years, she anchored a 5½-hour morning show, one of the longest daily morning blocks in local television. It was demanding, fast-paced work, and she excelled at it.
During her time at FOX 35, she did more than just read the news. She created and produced a segment called “Deal of the Day” — a consumer-focused feature that became the most recognized segment on FOX 35 News and its website, myfoxorlando.com. It showed a side of her that went beyond anchoring: she was a creative broadcaster who understood what audiences actually wanted to watch.
Her coverage in Orlando also included some genuinely historic moments. She anchored live through multiple tropical storms and tornadoes, delivering round-the-clock updates to Central Florida viewers during dangerous weather. She also covered NASA’s historic final Space Shuttle launches — the end of an era in American space exploration — with the kind of on-the-ground presence that only a skilled live broadcaster can provide.
Off camera, she gave back to the community. She served as honorary chair of the Central Florida March of Dimes “March for Babies” — a cause that held deep personal meaning for her. She also wrote a monthly column for Orlando Moms Like Me from 2008 to 2010, connecting with local families on everyday life in Central Florida. In June 2011, after five years in Orlando, she packed up and came home to Utah.
KUTV 2News Salt Lake City
Heidi Hatch joined KUTV 2News in July 2011, returning to the state where her career first took shape. When she arrived, she co-anchored what the station called Utah’s only all-female anchor team on a new 4 pm newscast — a milestone worth noting in Utah broadcast history.
She quickly became one of the station’s most valuable journalists. In 2012, she covered the presidential election live from inside Mitt Romney’s campaign headquarters in Boston on election night — a major assignment that put her at the center of one of the most-watched political events of that year. In 2016, she followed the historical primary elections to Cleveland and Philadelphia, reporting from both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
The biggest professional recognition of her career at KUTV came in 2017. She reported and anchored coverage of the Brian Head wildfire — a devastating blaze that tore through more than 100 square miles of pristine forestland in southern Utah, forcing the evacuation of over 1,500 people. Her reporting on the fire earned her an Emmy Award, the highest honor in television journalism.
Beyond breaking news, she also moderated Utah’s first-ever prime-time Gubernatorial debate — a landmark moment in the state’s political media history. She hosts a weekly political podcast called Take 2, available on major podcast platforms, where she covers issues shaping Utah and the country. At present, she anchors KUTV 2News at 5, 6, and 10 pm — a schedule that places her in front of Utah audiences three times every single evening.
Heidi Hatch Salary and Net Worth
Heidi Hatch has never publicly disclosed her salary, and KUTV 2News has not released any official figures either. That is fairly standard for television journalists — most anchors at local and regional stations keep their earnings private.
All salary and net worth figures presented below are estimates based on publicly available information and third-party reporting.
What can be said with confidence is that her pay reflects her experience. With more than 25 years in broadcast journalism — covering major stories across Montana, Utah, and Florida — she sits firmly in the senior tier of local news anchors. Seasoned anchors at CBS affiliates in mid-major markets like Salt Lake City typically earn between $60,000 and $120,000 per year, depending on seniority, ratings performance, and contract terms.
Given her Emmy Award, her role as the station’s prime-time anchor across three daily newscasts, and her tenure at KUTV since July 2011, her earnings are likely toward the higher end of that range. Until she or her station confirms an official number, any specific figure remains an estimate.
Heidi Hatch Net Worth
Heidi Hatch’s net worth has not been officially confirmed by any verified source. Several celebrity biography websites estimate her net worth to be somewhere between $1 million and $5 million — but these are industry estimates, not confirmed figures. They should be treated as rough approximations only.
What is clear is that her primary source of income has always been her journalism career. More than two decades of anchoring, reporting, and producing across multiple major markets — Salt Lake City, Orlando, and Missoula — represents a long and consistent earning history. Add to that her work as a podcast host on Take 2, her past role as a monthly columnist for Orlando Moms Like Me, and her various community spokesperson roles, and the picture of a financially stable professional career becomes easy to see. At present, her anchoring role at KUTV 2News remains her main professional platform.
Heidi Hatch Personal Life
Is Heidi Hatch Married?
Yes, Heidi Hatch is married. Her husband is Derek Hatch, and the two have been together for more than 25 years — a long and stable marriage by any measure. Heidi has mentioned Derek naturally in interviews and on her official KUTV bio, describing their family life with warmth and simplicity.
Derek Hatch is not a public figure. He does not appear in the media, does not hold a public role, and has chosen to stay out of the spotlight entirely. Because of that, no additional verified information about him is available — his profession, background, and personal details remain private, and that privacy appears to be a deliberate family choice.
There is also no public record of any prior marriage or ex-husband. Questions occasionally surface online about whether Heidi was previously married, but no verified source confirms that. At present, Derek Hatch is her husband, and their family is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Is Heidi Hatch Related to Orrin Hatch?
This is one of the most searched questions about Heidi Hatch, and the answer is straightforward — there is no confirmed family connection between Heidi Hatch and the late United States Senator Orrin Hatch. Orrin Hatch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while Heidi is a lifelong Utah native. No genealogical link between the two has ever been publicly documented or confirmed by either party.
The question is understandable. Orrin Hatch served as Utah’s senator for 42 years and was one of the most recognized political names in the state’s history. Sharing the same last name in Utah naturally raises the question. But Hatch is a fairly common surname in Utah, and a shared name is not evidence of a shared family tree. Until any verified information says otherwise, the two are not known to be related.
Is Heidi Hatch LDS / Mormon?
Heidi Hatch has never made a public statement about her religious beliefs. No interview, social media post, or official biography has confirmed whether she is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — commonly known as the LDS or Mormon church.
The question comes up frequently, and it is easy to understand why. Heidi is a lifelong Utah native, and Utah is home to one of the largest LDS populations in the United States. Many people in the public eye from Utah are members of the church, so the assumption is natural. However, being from Utah does not automatically mean someone is LDS. Heidi has kept her personal faith — whatever it may be — entirely private. That is her right, and no source reviewed here has produced a confirmed answer either way.
Heidi Hatch’s Children
Heidi Hatch and her husband Derek are parents to two children — a daughter named Hailey Hatch and a son named Jordan Hatch. Both children have been mentioned by Heidi over the years, though she keeps their lives as private as possible given her public role.
Jordan’s birth story is one of the most meaningful personal chapters in Heidi’s life. He was born nearly three months premature — a frightening and emotional experience for any parent, but especially for someone in the public eye who was also managing a demanding broadcasting career. Jordan’s early arrival changed something in Heidi. It pushed her toward advocacy. She became a spokesperson and honorary chair for the March of Dimes “March for Babies” campaign — first in Utah and then again in Orlando, Florida, during her years at FOX 35. That is years of consistent community work rooted in one very personal moment. One of Heidi’s children has also been noted for playing the violin.
Heidi Hatch’s Daughter — Hailey Hatch
Hailey Hatch is Heidi’s older child. She is not a public figure, and very little information about her personal life has been shared publicly. According to some biography sources, Hailey is reported to work as a research technician specializing in microbial ecology at UC Merced in California — though this detail has not been independently verified and should be treated as unconfirmed.
What is clear is that Hailey has grown into an adult with her own independent life and career path. Heidi has spoken about her children in general terms over the years but has been careful not to put them in the public spotlight. That balance — being open enough to feel relatable, while protective enough to keep her children safe — reflects the kind of thoughtful parent Heidi appears to be.
Heidi Hatch’s Pets and Home
At present, Heidi Hatch and her family live in Salt Lake City, Utah — the city she has called home across the longest stretch of her career. It is where she grew up, where she built her name, and where she returned after years in Montana and Florida.
The Hatch household also includes one very small but well-loved family member — a Shih Tzu. Heidi’s official KUTV biography describes the little dog affectionately as the family’s “tiny third hairy baby,” which tells you quite a bit about the kind of warmth and humor she brings to her personal life. It is a small detail, but it is the kind of genuine, specific thing that makes a public figure feel real. The dog is not just a pet — it is part of the family story.
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Heidi Hatch
Key questions answered about the Emmy-winning KUTV 2News anchor and her life in Utah journalism
How old is Heidi Hatch?
Born and raised in Utah, Heidi Hatch has built a journalism career that spans more than two and a half decades. She started at KPAX CBS in Missoula, Montana, in March 1998, straight out of Southern Utah University. From there, she moved to KTVX ABC 4 in Salt Lake City, then WOFL FOX 35 in Orlando, Florida, before returning home to anchor at KUTV 2News. Her age reflects the depth of experience she brings to the newsroom — an Emmy Award winner who has covered everything from the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping to the Brian Head wildfire to two presidential elections. Heidi Hatch is not just a familiar face on Utah television; she is one of the state's most decorated broadcast journalists.
Is Heidi Hatch married?
Heidi Hatch and her husband Derek Hatch have maintained one of the quieter marriages in local television — long-lasting, private, and largely out of the spotlight. While Heidi's professional life plays out on television screens across Utah every evening, Derek has chosen to stay entirely out of the public eye. He is not known to hold any public role, and his personal background has not been disclosed in any verified source. The couple has two children together — a daughter named Hailey and a son named Jordan. Jordan's premature birth, arriving nearly three months early, became a defining chapter in the family's story and led Heidi to years of advocacy work with the March of Dimes. No public information confirms any prior marriage for Heidi Hatch.
Is Heidi Hatch LDS or Mormon?
The question of whether Heidi Hatch is LDS or Mormon is one of the most frequently searched queries about her, and the honest answer is that no one outside her personal life knows for certain. Heidi has never addressed her religion publicly — not in interviews, not on social media, and not in her official KUTV biography. Utah has one of the largest LDS populations in the United States, so it is natural for people to ask the question about any prominent Utah figure. However, being from Utah does not automatically mean someone is a member of the church. Heidi has kept her personal beliefs entirely private, and that remains her right as a public figure. Until she chooses to speak on the matter, no answer can be confirmed.
Is Heidi Hatch related to Orrin Hatch?
The question about Heidi Hatch and Orrin Hatch is completely understandable. Orrin Hatch served as Utah's United States Senator for 42 years — one of the longest-serving senators in American history — and his name became one of the most recognized in Utah politics. Naturally, sharing the same surname with such a prominent figure raises the question. However, no public record, genealogical study, or verified biographical source has ever linked Heidi Hatch to Senator Orrin Hatch's family. Orrin Hatch was born on March 22, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and built his life in Utah as an adult. Heidi, on the other hand, was born and raised in Utah. Hatch is a moderately common surname in Utah, and a shared last name alone is not evidence of a family relationship.
How tall is Heidi Hatch?
Like many television anchors, Heidi Hatch has never publicly stated her exact height, and KUTV 2News has not disclosed this information either. Two separate biography sources estimate her height at slightly different figures — one placing her at approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) and another at approximately 5 feet 5 inches. The difference is minor, and neither figure has been independently confirmed. What is clear from her on-screen presence is that she carries herself with the natural confidence of someone who has spent more than 25 years in front of a camera. Until Heidi herself confirms an official measurement, the approximate range of 5 feet 5 to 6 inches is the best available estimate and should be treated as such.
Who is Heidi Hatch's ex-husband?
The question about Heidi Hatch's ex-husband appears frequently in online searches, but no verified source has ever confirmed that she was previously married. Heidi Hatch has been with her husband Derek Hatch for more than 25 years, and nothing in her official biography, KUTV profile, or any credible source suggests a prior relationship or divorce. This particular search query may stem from general curiosity or a misattributed result mixing up different people's stories. At present, Derek Hatch is the only husband linked to Heidi Hatch in any public record. Unless Heidi herself confirms otherwise, there is no basis for any claims about an ex-husband.
What is Heidi Hatch's political party?
Heidi Hatch has spent a significant portion of her career covering politics — from live presidential election coverage to moderating Utah's first prime-time Gubernatorial debate to hosting a weekly political podcast called Take 2. Despite that deep involvement in political journalism, she has never publicly identified with any political party. That is entirely in keeping with professional broadcast journalism standards, where anchors are generally expected to maintain neutrality and avoid public declarations of political allegiance. Her coverage of both the 2012 and 2016 elections — including reporting from Mitt Romney's Boston headquarters and both national party conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia — reflects a journalist doing her job impartially. Until she states otherwise, her political affiliation remains a private matter.
Does Heidi Hatch have children?
Heidi Hatch and her husband Derek are parents to two children. Their daughter, Hailey Hatch, is the older of the two. According to some biography sources, Hailey is reported to work as a research technician specializing in microbial ecology at UC Merced in California — though this detail has not been independently verified and should be treated as unconfirmed. Their son, Jordan Hatch, arrived nearly three months before his due date — a premature birth that was both frightening and life-changing for the family. That experience directly inspired Heidi to take on an advocacy role with the March of Dimes, first serving as honorary chair in Utah and later in Central Florida during her years at FOX 35 in Orlando. Jordan's early birth gave Heidi's community work a deeply personal foundation.
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