Christiane Amanpour said Monday that she will leave next June after 43 years with the network. She said she decided to separate from after “43 fantastic years” and will use the months ahead for a gradual handoff.
“I will end my daily shows across and PBS at the end of this year, while continuing to maintain a weekly show on through May and working on a smooth transition through June,” she said in a statement. The timeline leaves her on air in stages before the final departure next June.
Monday and the transition
Amanpour’s statement set out the sequence clearly: daily programs end at the close of this year, the weekly show continues through May, and the transition continues through June. She also said she will keep her podcast the Ex-Files with Global.
Mark Thompson said, “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.” His remarks placed the departure in the context of a planned exit rather than an abrupt break.
First Gulf War assignment
Amanpour pointed back to her career start, saying, “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, as we together battled to seek the facts, the evidence and the humanity, so that could always broadcast the truth about the world and to the world, without fear nor favor.” She also thanked the people she worked with, especially her show teams and field crews.
That career span is why the exit lands now: she has been one of the network’s most visible international journalists for 43 years, and her departure will unfold while she is still carrying a weekly show through May. Her move leaves with a long runway to adjust her programming before the final handoff next June.
London and CBS News
At a recent appearance in London, Amanpour discussed the ideological realignment at CBS News and expressed concern over the future of her network. That appearance came before Monday’s statement and gave a public sign that she was already weighing the direction of the industry and her own place in it.
Brian Stelter posted Monday that “ legend Christiane @Amanpour, the network’s chief international anchor, is departing the network next June.” Earlier this month, David Ellison took over after closing an $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery. Amanpour’s statement did not connect her departure to that ownership change, but the timing places her exit after the takeover and before the final transition is complete.
For viewers, the practical change is already mapped out: her daily programs end this year, her weekly show runs through May, and has until June to finish the handoff. Amanpour said she will keep working on a smooth transition while continuing her podcast and looking toward new projects.
