Anderson Cooper steps down as '60 Minutes' correspondent after two decades

In the latest blow to Bari Weiss's tenure as head of CBS News, famed out journalist Anderson Cooper will be stepping down as a correspondent for the news program after 20 years.

News of his pending departure was earlier reported by Breaker, a media industry newsletter.

Anderson, who still hosts his show on CNN, had regularly contributed to "60 Minutes" in a partnership between the two networks, according to The Guardian.

“Being a correspondent at ’60 Minutes’ has been one of the highlights of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors and camera crews in the business,” Cooper said in a statement, Variety reports. “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.”

Cooper extended his deal with CNN last year.

It's the latest hit the lauded show and the cable news network have suffered after Weiss, who has no previous experience in broadcast news, became editor-in-chief of CBS News last year, when CBS's parent company, Paramount Skydance, bought her opinion site The Free Press for $150 million. Weiss, who is also out, has been criticized after pulling a segment on the abuse faced by Venezuelans deported under Donald Trump and has faced questions around editorial independence. Layoffs at CBS News are also reportedly pending.

Variety reports that Cooper had been in talks with CBS about renewing his contract. However, he decided to instead focus on his work at CNN, which not only includes his primetime show, but also a podcast and Sunday program.