Christiane Amanpour to Leave CNN After 43 Years
Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour announced she will end her CNN show in May and depart the network in June, citing personal reflection after decades of reporting.
Christian Amanpour, the long-time chief international anchor of CNN, said on Monday that she will conclude her eponymous program in May and leave the network at the end of June, ending a 43-year career that began as an assistant on the international assignment desk in 1983. She also noted that her PBS series, Amanpour and Company, will finish later this year.
In a personal statement, Amanpour explained that the decision followed “many months of thought and a few sleepless nights.” She reflected on her reporting history, from the first Gulf War to conflicts in Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Iran, and praised the teamwork that helped the network “broadcast the truth about the world… without fear nor favor.”
“Remember: always be truthful, not neutral,” she wrote to colleagues.
Amanpour, 68, has been public about her ongoing treatment for ovarian cancer, diagnosed in 2021. She added that she will keep hosting her podcast The Ex Files and is open to “interesting new projects down the line.”
CNN CEO Mark Thompson, who recently confirmed he will stay with the company after its merger with Skydance Media, thanked Amanpour for “43 extraordinary years of remarkable journalism, loyalty and friendship.” He said, “Christiane has thought carefully about this decision… 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.”
The departure occurs as CNN operates under the ownership of Skydance, a media group backed by David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, a noted donor to President Donald Trump. While some observers have expressed concern about the network’s editorial independence under the new ownership, Amanpour’s statement emphasized her continued commitment to independent journalism.