Anderson Cooper Is Leaving '60 Minutes' After Nearly Two Decades — Here's Why

After nearly two decades on-air, Anderson Cooper is saying goodbye to 60 Minutes. On Feb. 16, the longtime journalist confirmed he’s leaving the CBS News program in a statement to People.

“Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honors of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business,” he said.

Anderson’s exit prompted a wave of curiosity from fans. Many are wondering why the journalist is taking a step back from the coveted role.

Upon announcing his departure, Anderson explained that spending time with his kids has become increasingly harder because of his career.

“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,” he said.

Adding, “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.”

Anderson is simply not renewing his CBS contract, a move that officially ends his stint as a 60 Minutes correspondent.

CBS first brought the journalist into the 60 Minutes fold during the 2006–07 season, with plans for him to deliver up to five reports a year while continuing his full-time duties at CNN.

“I'm very excited by the opportunity to work at 60 Minutes," Anderson said in 2006. "I grew up watching the broadcast and, like many Americans, still try to make sure I'm home Sunday nights at 7 so I can see it. I'm truly honored to be part of 60 Minutes and look forward to working with Jeff Fager and all the other remarkable talents at CBS News. I can't wait to get started.”

Anderson did more than just serve as a correspondent for 60 Minutes; he delivered some of the program’s most memorable moments. Over the years, he reported on the wreck of the Clotilda, widely described as the last known ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States, per CBS News.

In 2020, he interviewed COVID “long-haulers” who were battling lingering, often debilitating symptoms long after their initial infections. In 2023, he sat down with Prince Harry for a high-profile U.S. television interview as the royal promoted his memoir, Spare.

Anderson also investigated Social Security overpayments, reporting on beneficiaries who were suddenly hit with bills for government errors — sometimes years after the payments were made.

However, his departure from CBS comes at the same time the network is reportedly censoring its journalists. In December 2025, CBS pulled a 60 Minutes segment centering on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center.

In February 2026, Stephen Colbert also claimed the network did not allow him to interview Texas Democrat James Talarico on The Late Show.