Anderson Cooper gives up his 19-year-career at CBS for his young sons – his next step revealed

For nearly two decades, Anderson Cooper has been a staple of Sunday evening television, his silver hair and sharp reporting becoming synonymous with the ticking clock of CBS News’ 60 Minutes. But in a move that signals the end of a significant era in broadcast journalism, the 16-time Emmy Award winner has announced his departure from the venerable newsmagazine.

While the media industry is often rife with stories of contract disputes or behind-the-scenes friction, Cooper’s exit is remarkably devoid of drama. Instead, the veteran journalist is making a choice rooted in the most universal of motivations: the desire to be present for his children.

A Career Highlight Comes to a Close

On February 16, the announcement sent ripples through the news world. Cooper, who has balanced a demanding dual role at CNN and CBS for nearly 20 years, officially signaled that his tenure at 60 Minutes is drawing to a close.

“Being a correspondent at ’60 Minutes’ has been one of the highlights of my career,” Cooper said in a formal statement. “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 want to spend time with me.”

The “ticking clock” will continue to run, and CBS News was quick to offer its blessing to one of its most distinguished contributors. In a statement released Monday evening, the network expressed its gratitude for Cooper’s decades of dedication, noting that they “understand the importance of spending more time with family” and added that the door at 60 Minutes “will be here if he ever wants to return.”

Reimagining a Future Once Thought Impossible

To understand the weight of Cooper’s decision, one has to look back at the journey that brought him to fatherhood. For Cooper, the road to raising sons Wyatt and Sebastian was paved with a long-held belief that it might never happen.

“When I was 12 years old and knew I was gay and thought about my life, it always upset me because I thought, ‘I will never be able to have a kid,’” Cooper told People back in 2020.

That narrative changed irrevocably on April 30, 2020, when Cooper broke character from his usual hard-news reporting to reveal on-air that he had become a father. His first son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper—named after Anderson’s father, who died when the journalist was just ten—was born via surrogate just three days prior.

The birth was a transformative moment for Cooper, who publicly thanked the “remarkable surrogate” and her family, describing the experience as an “extraordinary blessing.” At the time, he remarked, “It feels like my life has actually begun. This is a new level of love. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced.”

A Modern Family Dynamic

The expansion of Cooper’s family continued in 2022 with the arrival of his second son, Sebastian Luke. In a move that reflects his commitment to stability, Cooper has co-parented both boys with his former partner and close friend, Benjamin Maisani.

Despite their split in 2018, the two have maintained a united front. “It’s probably an unusual setup,” Cooper admitted in 2021, “but I knew he would be a great dad and he is.”

While Cooper continues to maintain his presence at CNN—hosting his popular Sunday long-form program The Whole Story and his acclaimed podcast on grief—the departure from CBS represents a conscious effort to trim a grueling schedule. By stepping back from the intensive travel and production demands of 60 Minutes, he is carving out the space necessary to witness the “bliss, humor, and gentleness” of his sons’ early years.

As he told a September 2023 cover story, these moments of “sheer delight” are what currently define his life. While he has previously noted there are “no plans” for more children, his focus remains singular: “I want to be the best parent I can be.”

As Anderson Cooper closes this storied chapter of his professional life, he does so not with a sense of loss, but with a clear-eyed focus on the future. The newsroom will be a little quieter without his signature reports, but for Wyatt and Sebastian, their father is coming home.