Legendary international broadcast journalist and CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour has announced that she will be leaving the network after a storied 43-year career.
Amanpour, 68, confirmed that she will step away from her full-time duties, scaling back her flagship daily show Amanpour on CNN International to once a week before departing the network.
In a personal statement released to colleagues and viewers, Amanpour reflected on her four decades at the network she joined as an entry-level desk assistant in Atlanta in 1983.
“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” Amanpour stated. “Remember: always be truthful, not neutral.”
Amanpour made it clear that her exit does not signal retirement. Instead, she plans to transition to new editorial ventures while continuing her podcast, The Ex Files, which she co-hosts with her ex-husband and former U.S. diplomat Jamie Rubin.
Over more than four decades, Amanpour became the face of CNN’s global news coverage, defining field journalism through major international crises, war zones, and geopolitical shifts:
Frontline Reporting: Covered critical conflicts including the First Gulf War, the Bosnian War, the Rwandan genocide, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran.
World Leaders & Key Interviews: Headlined nightly interview programming on CNN International since 2009 and PBS’s Amanpour & Company since 2017.
Defying the Odds: Early in her career, a supervisor famously told her she didn’t have what it took to be an on-air foreign correspondent—a assessment CNN CEO Mark Thompson noted she spectacularly disproved throughout her career.
In a internal memo, Thompson praised her contributions:
“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. … Thank you for 43 extraordinary years of remarkable journalism, loyalty, and friendship.”
Industry Landscape Shift
Amanpour’s departure comes during a period of transition for the network following the completion of the Skydance-Paramount $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing both CNN and CBS under a unified corporate umbrella. While her statement focused on her own decision-making process after months of reflection, the news marks the end of a era for independent foreign affairs broadcasting at CNN.
