Christiane Amanpour to Leave CNN: Biggest Moments in 4 Decades of Reporting

Christiane Amanpour, one of CNN's most recognizable international journalists, announced Monday that she will leave the network in June 2027 after 43 years.

Her departure will close a career at CNN that stretched from the network's early years through wars in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan and Ukraine, making her a defining figure in television foreign correspondence.

The 68-year-old will gradually reduce her on-air schedule before her CNN International program ends in May, although she plans to continue reporting and traveling for the network through June.

"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 Monday, according to CNN.

She said she expects to pursue new projects and added that she would continue to support the network and its tradition of independent journalism.

Mark Thompson, CNN's chairman, told staff that he and Amanpour had been discussing the decision for months. He called her "one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere" and thanked her for more than four decades of journalism and service to the network.

Amanpour's daily programs will end at the close of 2026. Beginning in January, her CNN International program will shift to once a week and conclude in May 2027.

Her PBS program, Amanpour & Company, will also end in December, while she has said she will continue The Ex Files, the podcast she hosts with former husband James Rubin.

Her coming departure provides a natural endpoint from which to look back at the assignments that turned an entry-level CNN employee into the network's chief international anchor.

This is a developing story. More to follow.