Christiane Amanpour Will Leave CNN After More Than Four Decades
The veteran international correspondent is stepping down following a multibillion-dollar corporate merger that has reshaped leadership across major American television networks.
CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour announced on Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, that she will leave the network in June 2027. The 68-year-old British-Iranian journalist has worked for the cable news organization for 43 years.
Her PBS program, Amanpour & Company, will conclude broadcast operations at the end of December 2026. Her daily CNN International program, Amanpour, will end daily broadcasts at the same time. The CNN show will air weekly starting in January 2027 before ending permanently in May 2027.
Amanpour stated in a staff memo that she decided to separate from CNN after months of reflection. She added that she would always support the network and urged journalists to remain truthful rather than neutral. She also thanked the production teams and field crews who worked alongside her.
CNN Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Thompson stated that he accepted her decision after several months of discussions. Thompson said he was sorry to see her go. He accepted that the timing was right for her personal and professional life.
The announcement followed a completed merger between CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance. David Ellison leads the merged entity as chief executive after the estimated $110 billion acquisition. Thompson will remain in his leadership role at CNN.
Amanpour did not cite the corporate transaction in her resignation statement. In May 2026, she expressed concern about Ellison during a journalism summit in London. She criticized changes and an ideological shift at CBS News following its takeover by Skydance.
Technology journalist Kara Swisher also announced in September 2026 that she would leave CNN at the end of the year. Swisher cited concerns over the corporate merger.
Amanpour joined CNN in 1983 as an entry-level assistant on the international assignment desk in Atlanta. She rose to prominence covering the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the siege of Sarajevo. She later reported from Afghanistan, Rwanda, Iran, and Ukraine, and interviewed major world leaders.
CNN launched her signature interview program in 2009. Amanpour briefly left in 2010 to anchor ABC News show This Week, returning to CNN in 2012. In January 2025, she scaled back her hosting schedule after a recurrence of ovarian cancer.
Amanpour will handle field assignments until her CNN contract ends in June 2027. She announced plans to pursue independent projects down the line and will continue hosting her podcast, The Ex Files.
