Christiane Amanpour, the longtime CNN anchor who has spent 43 years with the network, will be departing from CNN, where she has held various roles, starting as an entry-level assistant and eventually becoming one of the most prominent correspondents and anchors in television history. She is renowned for her extensive reporting from war zones and international hotspots throughout her career.
Amanpour, who is currently the chief international anchor for CNN, will reduce her daily show, "Amanpour," on CNN International to a once-a-week format starting in early 2027, with the show concluding in May. Following her departure from the network in June, she has expressed eagerness for "interesting new projects down the line." Additionally, she will end her PBS show, "Amanpour & Co," at the close of the year but will continue her podcast, "The Ex Files," alongside her ex-husband, Jamie Rubin, a former U.S. diplomat.
In a statement regarding her departure, Amanpour, 68, shared that after considerable reflection and some sleepless nights, she decided to part ways with CNN, which she considers a partner for these years. She emphasized her ongoing support for CNN’s legacy of independent journalism, urging, “Always be truthful, not neutral.” Despite her decision, no specific reasons for her exit were provided, nor did she comment on the recent changes at the network. This shift coincides with a new chapter for CNN under the ownership of Skydance, which recently completed an $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. This merger unites major players in television news, including CBS and CNN.
On a personal level, Amanpour has candidly addressed her battle with ovarian cancer, diagnosed in 2021, which recurred twice. She referred to cancer as "the invisible killer" and has encouraged others to prioritize early medical interventions through regular screenings and scans.
Amanpour's journey with CNN began in 1983 when she joined as an assistant in Atlanta. Her ascent to an international correspondent occurred seven years later, during which she gained widespread acclaim for her coverage of the Gulf War and other conflicts in the Middle East and beyond. She described war reporting as encompassing a sense of mission and purpose, enabling her to narrate the stories of those affected by crises worldwide.
Amanpour's approach has always involved bringing complex international news to American audiences, asserting, “I’ve never believed that things are too complicated to put on American television,” and emphasizing that her audience is interested in global events as well. Her diverse heritage, being half-Iranian and half-British, has granted her a unique worldview, and she has spoken about the necessity of understanding varied perspectives in today’s world.
In her farewell remarks, Amanpour expressed gratitude towards her field crews and show teams, acknowledging them for their collaboration through significant assignments over the years, including coverage of the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, the Rwanda genocide, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran. She remarked on the importance of teamwork in striving to uncover facts and humanity to ensure that CNN could broadcast the truth about global events without fear or bias.
