Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour is set to leave CNN in June 2027, ending a 43-year career with the global news network.
Amanpour announced her decision in a statement on Monday, saying she had spent months considering the move before deciding to part ways with the broadcaster.
“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.
The 68-year-old journalist said she was looking forward to new projects while continuing to support CNN and its tradition of independent journalism.
“Remember: always be truthful, not neutral,” she added.
Amanpour began her career at CNN as a news assistant on the network’s foreign desk before rising to become one of its most recognisable international correspondents. She built her reputation covering major conflicts, including the wars in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.
From 1992 to 2010, she served as CNN’s chief international correspondent, reporting from conflict zones and political hotspots around the world.
She has hosted CNN International’s evening programme since 2009 and has presented the PBS programme Amanpour & Company since 2017.
Amanpour briefly left CNN for ABC News in 2010, where she was appointed moderator of the Sunday programme This Week. She returned to CNN in 2012 after the programme struggled with low ratings.
CNN chief executive Mark Thompson said he had been discussing the decision with Amanpour for several months and respected her choice to leave.
“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 said.
Amanpour’s departure comes as CNN operates under new ownership following Skydance’s takeover, amid broader debate about corporate influence over news organisations and editorial independence.
The journalist had previously expressed concern about Skydance’s management of CBS News, particularly following the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief.
Amanpour said she would end her daily programmes on CNN and PBS at the end of 2026. She plans to continue hosting a weekly CNN programme through May 2027 and assist with the transition through June.
She is also expected to continue working on her independent podcast, Ex-Files, which she co-hosts with her former husband, Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official.
