Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN after 43 years
The 68-year-old chief international anchor, famous for her reporting from Bosnia and the Gulf War, will scale back to a weekly show in 2027 and leave in June. Her PBS programme ends this year.
At a glance
- Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international anchor, announced on October 19 that she will leave the network after 43 years.
- Her daily CNN International show will become weekly in early 2027 and end in May; she leaves CNN in June 2027.
- Her PBS programme 'Amanpour & Co' ends at the end of 2026; she will continue her podcast 'The Ex Files'.
- Her exit comes after Paramount Skydance completed its $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, on October 6.
Christiane Amanpour, one of the most famous faces in international television news, is leaving CNN after 43 years. The network's 68-year-old chief international anchor announced on Monday, October 19, that she would step away gradually over the coming months.
The timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| End of 2026 | PBS show "Amanpour & Co" ends |
| Early 2027 | Daily "Amanpour" show on CNN International becomes weekly |
| May 2027 | Weekly show ends |
| June 2027 | Amanpour leaves CNN |
She will continue her podcast, "The Ex Files", with her former husband, ex-US diplomat Jamie Rubin.
What she said
Amanpour said she had decided "after many months of thought" to separate from CNN, "my partner of 43 fantastic years!" She thanked her field crews and production teams, saying she would "always be rooting for CNN", and repeated her well-known motto: "Always be truthful, not neutral." She said she looked forward to "interesting new projects down the line".
CNN chief executive Mark Thompson recalled that an early boss had told her she did not have what it took to be a foreign correspondent. "Boy, did she prove him wrong!" he wrote.
A career on the front lines
- 1983: Joined CNN as an assistant on the foreign desk in Atlanta, three years after the network launched.
- Early 1990s: Became famous for her reporting on the Gulf War.
- 1990s: Her coverage of the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war made her one of the defining war correspondents of her generation.
- Later reported from Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iran and Ukraine, and interviewed presidents, prime ministers and other world leaders.
Born to an Iranian father and a British mother, she has said her background gave her "two very distinct perspectives". She has spoken openly about being treated for ovarian cancer since 2021, urging others to get screened.
Changes at CNN
Amanpour did not link her decision to changes at the network. Her announcement comes two weeks after Paramount Skydance completed its $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on October 6, bringing CNN and CBS under the same owner. Television news is also facing falling audiences and competition from digital platforms.
Why it matters
Amanpour helped define international television reporting for a generation, and her interviews with world leaders, including many from the Middle East and South Asia, reached audiences worldwide. Her departure marks the end of an era for global TV news.
What happens next
She will keep presenting until May 2027. She has not said what projects she will take on after leaving CNN.
Questions people are asking
Why is Christiane Amanpour leaving CNN?
She has not given a specific reason. She said she made the decision 'after many months of thought'. Her departure comes shortly after CNN's parent company was taken over by Paramount Skydance.
When will Christiane Amanpour leave CNN?
Her daily show becomes weekly at the start of 2027 and ends in May 2027. She will leave the network in June 2027. Her PBS show ends at the end of 2026.
How long has Christiane Amanpour worked at CNN?
43 years. She joined as an assistant on the foreign desk in Atlanta in 1983 and became one of the world's best-known foreign correspondents and interviewers.
