Why Did Anderson Cooper Leave “60 Minutes”? Inside His Emotional Decision
Why Did Anderson Cooper Leave “60 Minutes”? Inside His Emotional Decision
Emily Blackwood, Caroline BlairMon, May 18, 2026 at 3:46 PM UTC
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Anderson Cooper's farewell on '60 Minutes'
Credit: 60 Minutes/YouTube
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Anderson Cooper signed off 60 Minutes for the last time on Sunday, May 17
The broadcast journalist initially announced in February 2026 that he'd be leaving the program after 20 years
While Cooper is parting ways with CBS, he will continue to anchor Anderson Cooper 360° on CNN
Anderson Cooper emotionally said his final farewell to 60 Minutes on Sunday, May 17.
The broadcast journalist initially announced in February 2026 that he would not be renewing his contract with CBS after hosting the program for two decades. At the time, Cooper told PEOPLE that he was leaving in an effort to spend more time with his family — including his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, whom he shares with his ex, Benjamin Maisani.
After Cooper anchored the news program for the last time in May 17, he reflected on some of his most meaningful moments with the show over the years. In a special after-show 60 Minutes Overtime, Cooper got emotional while thinking about how he got to follow in the footsteps of some of his idols and report on groundbreaking stories.
"The thing is, it's never felt like work," he said. "It's felt like you're stepping into people's lives, and you're invited into people homes. You're invited into their struggles, you're invited into whatever it is that has brought them to be on 60 Minutes."
In addition to 60 Minutes, the Emmy Award-winning commentator has also anchored Anderson Cooper 360° on CNN since 2003. He was one of the few reporters to occupy high-profile roles on both cable and network television.
So, why did Anderson Cooper leave 60 Minutes? Here’s everything to know about the long-time correspondent’s exit and what he’s said about his future in broadcast news.
Why did Anderson Cooper leave 60 Minutes?
Anderson Cooper on the set of 60 Minutes on March 24, 2010.
Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty
In a statement to PEOPLE, Cooper said he was leaving 60 Minutes to spend more time with his young sons.
"I've got a 4-year-old and a just now 6-year-old, and I want to spend as much time with them as I can while they still want to spend time with me," Cooper said in the 60 Minutes Overtime segment on May 17. "And those days, that clock is ticking, I think."
Meanwhile, CBS News shared their appreciation of Cooper's work in a statement.
"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," it read.
The note continued, "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."
Though Cooper cited personal reasons, the journalist’s exit followed a series of other high-profile departures and shakeups at the news program.
In April 2025, longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens left amid Paramount’s legal battle with President Donald Trump over editing an interview with then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Paramount later paid $16 million to settle the suit without admitting wrongdoing.
Months after being appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News, Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on Venezuelan men who were deported by the Trump administration hours before it aired.
A CBS News spokesperson said in a statement that the story needed additional reporting, while the veteran correspondent behind the segment said Weiss' decision was political, not editorial. The story later aired in January 2026.
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When asked if Weiss' appointment had anything to do with Cooper's decision to leave 60 Minutes, a rep for the journalist said he had no additional comment, the reported.
When was Anderson Cooper's last episode of 60 Minutes and what did he say?
Anderson Cooper during an interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers on September 19, 2017.
Credit: Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Cooper officially signed off 60 Minutes for the final time on Sunday, May 17, 2026. After delivering his final news story and signing off, Cooper appeared in a pre-recorded interview segment where he reflected on his career in 60 Minutes Overtime.
In his final interview, Cooper brought up some of his most meaningful memories — including diving with crocodiles, interviewing too many notable names to count in sit-down interviews and sharing stories from lesser-known people that are just as important.
"I was a weird little kid. I liked watching news. After my dad died, there was a lot of silence in my house, and we'd watch the news over dinner," Cooper recalled, while later bringing the segment full-circle to his kids and adding, "I hope 60 Minutes is around for when my kids grow up and have kids of their own, and they can watch it with their kids."
He added, "I don't think the reality has really hit me that I'm not gonna be doing this any longer. To give up something that you've watched since you were a kid, yeah, I will miss this."
After going into detail over his decades-long career with 60 Minutes, Cooper emotionally signed off for the last time by repeating his "I'm Anderson Cooper" line three times. He delivered the sign-off three times with a shaky voice and stood up to the crew applauding him.
The TV journalist started contributing stories to the program in the 2006-2007 season.
Is Anderson Cooper leaving CNN?
Anderson Cooper attends the 12th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute on December 09, 2018 in New York City.
Credit: Dominik Bindl/Getty
Cooper is not leaving his anchor position at Anderson Cooper 360°. The journalist renewed his contract with CNN in December 2025, which also includes his role as co-host of the network’s annual New Year’s Eve special alongside Andy Cohen.
He’s been a part of CNN since 2001 and began hosting his own show in 2003.
Cooper addressed the differences between the two programs in his final interview and explained that he looked at CNN as his weekday job and 60 Minutes as his weekend job.
"The whole time I've done pieces for 60 Minutes, my full-time job has been over at CNN and still is. And it's been really challenging to do the kind of work you need to do to have a great 60 Minutes piece," Cooper explained. "CNN doesn't like it if I take a lot of time off to work on a 60 Minutes piece, so I've worked mostly for 60 Minutes on weekends. My vacation time at CNN has been working on 60 Minutes pieces. And I've loved it, but it's been tough."
What has Anderson Cooper said about leaving 60 Minutes?
Anderson Cooper speaks during the 17th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute on December 10, 2023 in New York City.
Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty
Prior to his final show in May 2026, Cooper primarily stuck to the statement announcing his departure.
“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,” the broadcaster said.
He continued, “For nearly 20 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."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
