Anderson Cooper is stepping away from “60 Minutes,” ending a nearly 20-year run as a correspondent on the iconic CBS newsmagazine.
According to Fox News, the veteran journalist will now devote his full professional attention to his primetime role at CNN after declining a contract renewal offer.
Cooper confirmed the decision in a statement, reflecting on his long tenure with the program and the work he produced during that time.
“Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honors of my career,” he said. “I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business.”
He noted that for years he managed responsibilities at both networks but said his priorities have shifted.
“For nearly twenty years, I’ve been able to balance my jobs at CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now and I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time with me,” Cooper added.
CBS News acknowledged his departure and praised his contributions to the broadcast.
“For more than two decades, Anderson Cooper has taken 60 Minutes viewers on journeys to faraway places, told us unforgettable stories, reported consequential investigations and interviewed many prominent figures,” a spokesperson said. “We’re grateful to him for dedicating so much of his life to this broadcast, and understand the importance of spending more time with family. 60 Minutes will be here if he ever wants to return.”
Cooper joined the program in 2007 as a rotating correspondent while maintaining his cable news duties.
His exit comes amid internal tensions at CBS News involving editorial decisions on the show.Â
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi previously clashed with new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss after a segment on the Center for Confinement of Terrorism was pulled shortly before airtime.
Alfonsi told colleagues she believed the move was political, while Weiss sought additional perspectives from the Trump administration. The report ultimately aired weeks later, but the dispute drew criticism from liberal observers.
Cooper’s departure marks the end of a long-running dual-network role that had made him a familiar presence on both Sunday nights and cable news.
