Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN in 2027 after 43 years

Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor and one of the world’s best known war correspondents, will leave the network in June 2027 after 43 years, bringing an end to a career that has taken her to some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.

Read also: Ted Turner, CNN founder and media pioneer of 24 hours news, 1938–2026

Amanpour, 68, announced her decision on Monday, saying she had spent months considering the move before deciding to part ways with the network where she built her reputation covering wars, political upheavals and major international events.

“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 in a statement.

She said she was looking forward to new opportunities while remaining committed to the principles of independent journalism that have defined her career.

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

Read also: crisis: Mary Dinah Foundation raises red alert on CNN over starving refugees

Amanpour has hosted her own interview programme, Amanpour, on CNN International since 2009, interviewing world leaders, policymakers and influential figures on global affairs. She became internationally recognised for her reporting from conflict zones, often covering events at close range and examining their human and political consequences.

Her departure will follow a gradual reduction in her presenting duties. After scaling back her programme to a few days a week in January 2025, she is scheduled to host it once a week from January 2027 until it ends in May. She will continue reporting and travelling for CNN through June 2027.

Mark Thompson, CNN’s chairman, informed staff of her decision in a memo on Monday, saying he and Amanpour had discussed her plans for several months.

“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.”

Read also:Nigeria’s 7% growth bet faces high costs, weak productivity

Thompson described Amanpour as “one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere” and said the network would take time to celebrate her contribution before her departure next year.

“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.

A career shaped by conflict

Amanpour’s career has been closely linked to some of the defining conflicts of recent decades. She recalled reporting on the First Gulf War, the Bosnian War, the genocide in Rwanda, the war in Afghanistan and more recent conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

For her, the work was not only about reporting events but also about the people who made the coverage possible and the responsibility to establish the facts.

“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 added that she and her colleagues had worked to establish the facts and convey the human consequences of events, allowing CNN to report on the world “without fear nor favor”.

Amanpour also thanked the journalists, production teams and field crews who worked alongside her throughout her career, singling out her programme teams and colleagues in the field.

Her departure marks the end of a long chapter at CNN, where her reporting and interviews have made her a prominent voice in international journalism. Although she has not detailed her next steps, she said she intends to pursue new projects after leaving the network.

For CNN, her exit will mean losing one of its most recognisable international journalists, whose career has spanned major wars, political crises and profound changes in global affairs.