Christiane Amanpour to Leave CNN in June 2027 After 43 Years

Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international anchor, announced on Monday that she will depart the network in June 2027, concluding a 43-year tenure. In a statement, the 68-year-old journalist said, "After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years." She will scale back her daily CNN International show to weekly broadcasts beginning in January 2027, with the program ending in May before her final departure at the end of June.

Amanpour's exit includes winding down her other commitments. Her PBS program, Amanpour & Company, will end by December 2026, while she will continue her podcast The Ex Files with co-host and ex-husband Jamie Rubin. In her statement, Amanpour emphasized the importance of her teams and field crews throughout her career, referencing major assignments from the First Gulf War through coverage of conflicts in Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran. She concluded with the phrase: "Remember: always be truthful, not neutral."

CNN Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Mark Thompson acknowledged the decision in a memo to staff, stating he had been discussing the departure with Amanpour for several months. "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," Thompson wrote. He described Amanpour as "one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere."

Amanpour's departure occurs weeks after Skydance Paramount completed an $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, early in October 2026. David Ellison, the Skydance CEO, now oversees the media conglomerate. The timing of the exit has drawn attention, as Amanpour has previously expressed concerns about editorial direction, including public criticism in 2023 of CNN's town hall coverage featuring Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. In a recent London appearance, she discussed what she termed an "ideological realignment" at CBS News and expressed concerns about the future of her network.