Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN after 43 years, triggering programming changes

Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor and one of the network’s longest-serving journalists, will leave the company in June 2027, ending a 43-year career that helped establish CNN’s reputation for international news coverage.

Amanpour announced her decision Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, saying she would step away from the network after more than four decades reporting on wars, political upheaval and major world events.

“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 in a statement.

Her departure will be phased in over several months, with changes planned for her CNN International programming and the conclusion of her PBS interview series, “Amanpour & Company.”

The daily CNN International program “Amanpour” will move to a weekly schedule in January 2027 before ending in May 2027. Amanpour will continue reporting from the field and undertaking assignments for CNN through June 2027.

Meanwhile, “Amanpour & Company,” the international affairs program distributed to PBS member stations, will end in December 2026. The series launched in 2018 and features interviews and discussions about international politics, culture and current affairs.

“Amanpour & Company” frequently includes content originally produced for “Amanpour” with additional content and discussions added. 

Amanpour also hosts “The Amanpour Hour” on CNN’s U.S. network on a weekly basis. The show, which is targeted at a U.S. audience, also examined international news and issues. 

CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson informed employees of her decision in a memo Monday, saying the two had discussed her departure 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.

CNN plans to recognize Amanpour’s contributions during the months leading up to her departure. The network has not announced who will succeed her or what programming will replace her CNN International and PBS shows.

Amanpour, 68, joined CNN in 1983 as an entry-level assistant on the international assignment desk at the network’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, three years after CNN began broadcasting.

She became an international correspondent in 1990 and developed a reputation for reporting directly from conflict zones and conducting interviews with political and military leaders.

Her coverage of the 1991 Persian Gulf War helped elevate her profile and demonstrated the growing influence of CNN’s live international reporting. She subsequently covered the wars in Bosnia, Rwanda, Iraq and Afghanistan, along with numerous other major international stories.

Her reporting from Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia became particularly associated with her approach to conflict journalism, which emphasized challenging official accounts and documenting the experiences of civilians.

Over the following decades, her assignments included coverage of conflicts and political developments in Ukraine, Iran and other regions.

Amanpour also became known for interviews with presidents, prime ministers and other international figures, establishing herself as a prominent presence in CNN’s global news operation.

She briefly left CNN in 2010 to moderate ABC News‘ Sunday public affairs program “This Week,” succeeding George Stephanopoulos. She returned to CNN International in 2012.

Her departure comes amid broader changes at CNN following Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, completed in October 2026. The transaction brought CNN into a newly combined entertainment and media company as executives evaluate programming, distribution and other operations.

News of Amanpour’s departure did not mention the WBD-Paramount merger, though Amanpour previously made statements expressing concerns over how such a deal would affect the journalism produced by the conglomerate. 

Amanpour has indicated that she intends to pursue additional projects after leaving CNN. She plans to continue “The Ex Files,” a podcast produced by Global that she co-hosts with her former husband, Jamie Rubin.

In her departure statement, Amanpour thanked the reporters, producers and crews who accompanied her on assignments throughout her career.

“From my very first big exciting assignment covering the First Gulf War, to the horrors of the Bosnian War, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Iran and all the points in between, it’s the teams and the camaraderie that counted so much,” she said.

She also reiterated a principle she has frequently emphasized throughout her journalism career: “Remember: always be truthful, not neutral.”