After nearly 20 years on '60 Minutes', Anderson Cooper will not be renewing his contract with CBS, ending his tenure as a correspondent.
Anderson Cooper has decided to step away from CBS's 60 Minutes after nearly 20 years. The announcement has left the anchor's long following fans heartbroken. However, the CBS correspondent revealed the decision eventually had to be made.
Anderson Cooper has made the tough decision to step down from 60 Minutes after nearly two decades with the long-running CBS program. The anchor confirmed his departure to PEOPLE and said he will not renew his contract with CBS, bringing his tenure as a correspondent to a close. Cooper, in a statement to the media outlet, revealed that his decision eventually came down to his family.
In the same statement, Anderson Cooper said that for nearly two decades, he has balanced his roles at CBS and CNN. However, he was now not just an individual but also a father. He shared how being a dad has taken a major role in his decision-making and stated:
"Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honours of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business. 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."
Anderson Cooper is the father of two sons, Wyatt, 4, and Sebastian, 3. The anchor shares his two kids with his ex, Benjamin Maisani. The journalist has spoken openly about the "very natural" co-parenting process with Maisani, a nightclub owner. Talking about their dynamics, Cooper shared:
"I work nights, and so he’s there at night. And we both wake up right before they wake up, get them their milk and spend the first couple of hours of the day just us with them. And Benjamin speaks French to them. I have no idea what they’re saying. I think they’re plotting against me."
Anderson Cooper joined 60 Minutes in 2007 while continuing to anchor CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees, becoming one of the few journalists to hold major roles on both cable and network television. However, his exit comes at a time when there have been several other changes at CBS. Nonetheless, CBS also reacted to his decision to step away and said:
"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. 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."
Anderson Cooper's decision to step down from the CBS show comes amid a period of upheaval at CBS News. The network has faced a series of high-profile exits and leadership changes in recent months, fueling broader questions about the direction of its news division. In October 2025, Bari Weiss was appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News after Paramount Skydance acquired her news and opinion site, The Free Press, earlier this year.
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