For viewers who have spent years watching Anderson Cooper's reports on 60 Minutes, Sunday marked the end of an era. The longtime correspondent officially signed off from the CBS newsmagazine after nearly 20 years, sharing an emotional farewell as he looked back on his career and the family considerations behind his decision to leave.
The exit comes three months after Cooper, 58, announced he would be stepping away from the renowned television newsmagazine to spend more time with his children.
In a segment of 60 Minutes Overtime shared on YouTube, Cooper revisited his two decades with the program and became visibly emotional as he delivered his final "I'm Anderson Cooper" sign-off.
Explaining why the timing felt right to leave, Cooper said:
"My vacation time at CNN has been working on 60 Minutes pieces, and I've loved it. But it's been tough."
"I always imagined, like, 'OK, when I don't want to be in the daily-news grind, I'd love to just tell '60 Minutes' stories,' but when I had kids, the reality of having kids is different than anything you can kind of imagine.”
Cooper shares two children, Wyatt, 6, and Sebastian, 4, with his former partner Benjamin Maisani. During the farewell segment, he recalled filming in South Africa, when a colleague told him about the last time his son let him hold his hand on the walk to school—a memory that struck a personal chord.
Discussing the moment that helped put his priorities into perspective, Cooper said:
“I almost started to cry when he told me that because I'm in South Africa and my kid is going to school that day, and I'm not there."
"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. And those days, that clock is ticking, I think."
Cooper joined 60 Minutes during the 2006–07 television season while continuing to anchor CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°, becoming one of the few journalists to hold prominent roles on both cable and network television. Over the years, he reported from conflict zones, covered major world events, and produced long-form stories for one of television's most respected news programs.
Despite his decision to move on, Cooper admitted the reality of leaving has yet to fully sink in:
"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.”
Cooper is not stepping away from journalism. He renewed his CNN contract in December 2025 and will continue anchoring Anderson Cooper 360°, hosting The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, co-hosting CNN's annual New Year's Eve special alongside Andy Cohen, and producing his podcast focused on grief and loss.
Elsewhere in the farewell segment, Cooper highlighted some of his favorite assignments, from reporting in dangerous environments and diving alongside crocodiles to partially losing his eyesight while jet-skiing during an interview trip in Portugal.
Looking ahead, he expressed hope that 60 Minutes will continue to evolve without losing the qualities that made it a television institution.
Sharing his hopes for the future of the broadcast, Cooper said:
"There are very few things that have been around as long as '60 Minutes' has and maintained the quality that it has. Things can always evolve and change, and I think that's awesome. And things should evolve and change. But I hope the core of what '60 Minutes' is always remains."
You can watch the full farewell segment below:
- YouTube60 Minutes
Viewers wasted little time weighing in on Cooper's departure, with many taking to social media to reflect on his contributions to the long-running newsmagazine.
Take a look at the reactions below:
The program has faced heightened scrutiny in recent years, including the departure of longtime executive producer Bill Owens and Paramount's $16 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over edits to a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount denied wrongdoing in the case.
During the segment, Cooper also underscored the importance of preserving the editorial independence that has long defined the program.
Emphasizing what he believes has been key to the show's success, Cooper said:
"I think the independence of 60 Minutes has been critical. And I think the trust it has with viewers is critical to the success of 60 Minutes."Cooper ultimately closed the segment by delivering his trademark "I'm Anderson Cooper" sign-off three times, pausing noticeably before the final attempt as he brought his nearly 20-year run on 60 Minutes to an emotional close.
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