Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour is set to leave CNN after 43 years with the international news network, ending a distinguished career marked by coverage of major global events and interviews with world leaders.
Amanpour, 68, announced her decision in a statement shared by CNN, saying she had spent several months reflecting on her future before deciding to move on.
“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” she said.
Under the transition plan, her daily programme, Amanpour, on CNN International will become a weekly show at the beginning of 2027 before ending in May. She is expected to leave the network the following month.
The veteran journalist said she was looking forward to pursuing “interesting new projects down the line”.
Amanpour will also end her PBS programme, Amanpour and Company, at the end of this year. However, she plans to continue her podcast, The Ex Files, with her former husband, Jamie Rubin, a former United States diplomat.
In her farewell message, Amanpour reaffirmed her commitment to independent journalism and urged journalists to remain dedicated to truth in their reporting.
“I would ‘always be rooting for CNN and maintaining its history of independent journalism. Remember: always be truthful, not neutral,’” she said.
Her departure comes as CNN enters a new phase amid changes in its corporate ownership. Paramount, under Skydance, completed an $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on October 6, bringing CNN and CBS under the same corporate umbrella.
Amanpour has also spoken publicly about her health. In 2021, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She later revealed that the cancer had returned, describing the disease as “the invisible killer”.
She has since encouraged women to prioritise their health and undergo appropriate screening, urging them to “get all the scans that you can”.
Over more than four decades at CNN, Amanpour established herself as one of the network’s leading international journalists, reporting from conflict zones and covering major political and humanitarian developments around the world.
Her exit will mark the end of a significant chapter in CNN’s history and the conclusion of a career that has helped shape international television journalism.
