Anderson Cooper is leaving CBS’s “60 Minutes” after nearly twenty years as a correspondent, explaining that he wants to spend more time with his young sons as his main reason for stepping away from the long-running program.
The longtime journalist will exit at the end of the current broadcast season in May, as first reported by Breaker. Cooper has been part of “60 Minutes” since the 2006-2007 season, all while continuing to host “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN, which debuted in 2003.
“Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honors of my career,” Cooper said in a statement shared by the Associated Press. “I had the chance to tell incredible stories and collaborate with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the industry.”
Cooper is the father of two sons born via surrogate: five-year-old Wyatt Morgan Cooper and four-year-old Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. He co-parents them with his former partner, Benjamin Maisani. The two were together for nearly a decade before revealing their separation in 2018. In 2020, when Cooper—who was single at the time—announced the birth of his first son through surrogacy, he also mentioned that he would be raising the child with his ex-partner.
“For almost 20 years, I’ve been able to juggle my roles at CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now, 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 his statement.
Though he has announced his departure, Cooper will finish all segments currently in progress before officially leaving. He recently appeared on-air introducing a piece from documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.
CBS News thanked Cooper for his many contributions to the show. The network noted that Cooper would be welcome to return to “60 Minutes” down the road, keeping open the possibility of a future return to the newsmagazine, which first aired in 1968.
Cooper’s unusual dual arrangement with CNN and CBS News allowed him to maintain major roles at both organizations. His reporting on “60 Minutes” included investigative pieces, international stories, and notable interviews that helped uphold the show’s reputation as the most prestigious news broadcast on television.
The announcement comes during a turbulent time for both CBS News and “60 Minutes.” Bill Owens, the show’s executive producer, stepped down in April 2025, saying he could no longer run the program the way he always had.
Owens’ exit happened as Paramount, CBS’s parent company, pursued a merger with Skydance. This corporate reshuffling occurred alongside other changes following the appointment of Bari Weiss as CBS News’ editor-in-chief in October 2025.
In December 2025, “60 Minutes” stirred controversy when Weiss pulled a report from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi on El Salvador. The piece eventually aired in January, and Alfonsi later criticized the initial decision as politically motivated.
The network was also managing a lawsuit from President Donald Trump, who sued CBS over an interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign. Paramount resolved the case by paying Trump $16 million, without issuing an apology.
When asked if Cooper’s exit was tied to changes in CBS News’ leadership, his spokesperson would not comment beyond the official statement. One source suggested Cooper was not aligned with the direction the network was heading.
CBS News executives had actually been hoping to increase Cooper’s presence rather than see him depart. Weiss even explored bringing Cooper on as a full-time CBS News figure, including discussions about him potentially anchoring “CBS Evening News” — a role ultimately given to Tony Dokoupil. The unsuccessful negotiations make his departure even more striking, with one media insider calling it “another black eye” for the new CBS News leadership.
Cooper’s exit is a major loss for “60 Minutes,” which has long relied on seasoned correspondents to keep its status as the most-watched newsmagazine in the United States. The show has survived numerous transitions over more than fifty years, adjusting to an evolving media environment while maintaining its dedication to long-form investigative work and deep storytelling.
The timing of his announcement — arriving months after Owens left and amid ongoing restructuring at Paramount — raises questions about where the iconic show is headed. The program faces growing pressure to balance editorial independence with corporate priorities as traditional broadcast outlets confront declining audiences and shifting business demands.
As the current season continues through May, viewers will still see Cooper wrap up his remaining “60 Minutes” stories while continuing his daily work at CNN. His departure signals the close of an important chapter for the program.