WASHINGTON — Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, said on Monday that she will leave the news network next June after 43 years, according to an internal memo on Monday.
“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” Amanpour said in a statement.
Amanpour, 68, said she “looks forward to interesting new projects down the line, and will always be rooting for CNN and maintaining its history of independent journalism. Remember: always be truthful, not neutral.”
Amanpour, a household name worldwide for her heroism as a foreign correspondent, has hosted an eponymous nightly interview program on CNN International since 2009.
In January 2025, she scaled back to hosting a few days a week. In January 2027, she will shift the program to once a week, until it ends in May. She will continue reporting and traveling the world for CNN through June.
CNN chairman Mark Thompson shared Amanpour’s decision in a memo to colleagues Monday morning.
“Christiane has thought carefully about this decision, and she and I have been discussing it for some months,” Thompson wrote. “Like so many CNNers who will hear the news today, I’m very sorry to see her go, but I’ve come to accept that this is the right time for her, both personally and professionally.”
Thompson described her as “one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere” and said the network will take time to celebrate her “before she departs next year.”
“In the meantime, on behalf of the entire CNN leadership team, I want to thank Christiane for 43 extraordinary years of remarkable journalism, loyalty and friendship,” he wrote.
In her statement, Amanpour said she wanted to thank “all the amazingly talented people I’ve worked with throughout this incredible journey. Especially my beloved show teams and field crews.”
“From my very first big exciting assignment covering the First Gulf War, to the horrors of the Bosnian War, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Iran and all the points in between, it’s the teams and the camaraderie that counted so much,” she said, “as we together battled to seek the facts, the evidence and the humanity, so that CNN could always broadcast the truth about the world and to the world, without fear nor favor.”
Amanpour’s PBS iteration, “Amanpour & Company,” will end in December.
In her statement, Amanpour said she will continue her podcast, “The Ex Files,” with ex-husband Jamie Rubin, produced by Global.
Source: Saudi Gazette