CNN’s chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour, will leave the network in June 2027, ending a working relationship spanning more than four decades.

The 68-year-old journalist announced her decision in a statement on Monday, October 19, saying she had spent months considering her departure. CNN chairman Mark Thompson also informed staff of the decision in a memo.

“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” Amanpour said.

Her departure will take place in stages, with changes to her television schedule before she leaves the network.

Her CNN International interview programme, Amanpour, will move to a weekly schedule in January 2027 and end in May. She will continue travelling and reporting for CNN through June. Her PBS programme, Amanpour & Company, will end in December 2026. NewscastStudio

Amanpour has hosted her CNN International programme since 2009. She reduced her presenting schedule to a few days a week in January 2025.
Amanpour’s interviews have featured Nigerian public figures, including author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who discussed the #EndSARS protests on her programme in 202

The announcement sets an end date for both television programmes, but Amanpour indicated that she would remain active in journalism and pursue other projects.

She said she “looks forward to interesting new projects down the line, and will always be rooting for CNN and maintaining its history of independent journalism. Remember: always be truthful, not neutral.”

Thompson told colleagues that the announcement followed discussions with Amanpour over several months. He said he regretted her departure but accepted her reasons for leaving.

“Christiane has thought carefully about this decision, and she and I have been discussing it for some months,” Thompson wrote.
“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.”

He described Amanpour as “one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere”, adding that CNN would celebrate her work before her departure.

“In the meantime, on behalf of the entire CNN leadership team, I want to thank Christiane for 43 extraordinary years of remarkable journalism, loyalty and friendship,” he wrote.

Amanpour used her statement to acknowledge the colleagues who had worked alongside her in studios and on overseas assignments.
She thanked “all the amazingly talented people I’ve worked with throughout this incredible journey. Especially my beloved show teams and field crews.”

Recalling assignments covering the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Iran, she credited teamwork with helping CNN report the facts and human consequences of those conflicts.

She said the relationships built with colleagues mattered throughout their efforts to gather evidence and report accurately to audiences around the world.

Amanpour will continue The Ex Files, the Global-produced podcast she hosts with her former husband, Jamie Rubin.