Anderson Cooper, the face of CBS’s legendary current affairs program ’60 Minutes’ for the past 20 years, has officially stepped down.
The star CNN anchor and CBS correspondent shared his final farewell. Having first joined the show in 2006, his journey spanned two decades. CBS released a farewell interview following his final report on the future of the London taxi industry in the age of self-driving cars.
During the interview, Cooper delivered his signature sign-off, “I’m Anderson Cooper,” and became visibly emotional. He looked back on the thrill-seeking risks he took for the show, from diving with Nile crocodiles to nearly losing his sight while jet skiing on massive waves in Portugal. ” ’60 Minutes’ never felt like work to me,” he shared warmly. “It felt more like being invited into the lives of others.”
Cooper opened up about his lifelong love for the show, recalling how he memorized the names of former correspondents as a child. He shared a touching memory of spending evenings watching the news with his mother after his father passed away. However, balancing ’60 Minutes’ with his main role hosting ‘Anderson Cooper 360°’ at CNN was a challenge. He admitted that producing high-quality work required immense passion and effort beyond his primary duties. Since CNN wasn’t always thrilled about him taking time off, he often spent his weekends reporting. “Vacations at CNN essentially meant reporting periods for ’60 Minutes’,” he confessed, noting that while he loved the work, it was physically and mentally demanding.
Ultimately, the biggest reason for his departure was his children. With two sons aged 6 and 4, Cooper felt it was time to prioritize his family. “I want to spend as much time as possible with my children while they still want to spend time with me. The clock is ticking fast,” he explained. He added his hope that ’60 Minutes’ continues to thrive until his own children grow up, start families, and watch the program with their own kids.
