Christiane Amanpour, one of the world's most recognizable international journalists, announced Monday that she will leave CNN in June 2027, ending a 43-year career at the network that took her from an entry-level newsroom position to the front lines of some of the world's most consequential conflicts.
The 68-year-old British-Iranian journalist, who serves as CNN's chief international anchor, will end her daily CNN program and her PBS show by the end of 2026. She plans to continue presenting a weekly program on CNN until May 2027 before departing the network the following month. The announcement marks the end of an era for CNN, where Amanpour has been one of its defining international voices for decades.
Christiane Amanpour
(Photo: AP)
Amanpour joined CNN in 1983 as an assistant on its foreign desk, just three years after the network's launch. She rose through its ranks as a foreign correspondent, becoming internationally known for her reporting from war zones, particularly during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, when her coverage of the siege of Sarajevo helped establish her reputation for uncompromising conflict journalism.
Over the following decades, she reported on wars and political upheavals across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, while interviewing presidents, prime ministers and other influential figures. Her work earned numerous journalism awards and made her a prominent advocate for the importance of international reporting.
Her departure comes amid broader changes in the television news industry, as traditional broadcasters confront shifting audiences and growing competition from digital platforms. CNN itself has undergone repeated ownership and management changes during her tenure, transformations Amanpour has frequently discussed publicly.
Although she has outlined when her CNN programs will end, her announcement leaves open what professional projects she may pursue afterward. Her departure will close one of the longest and most recognizable careers in international television journalism.