CNN’s Carol Costello announced on Monday that she will leave CNN after 15 years for a new HLN gig, which will be based in Los Angeles.
“I would like to share a big life change with you,” Costello said. “This is hard. Friday will be my last day at CNN. I’m not leaving the family, though, I’ll be heading to Los Angeles to anchor a new show on HLN.”
She went on to call it a “personal decision” and compared it to cutting off her left arm but explained that her husband landed a “fantastic job” on the West Coast and she is relocating to be closer to him.
Shortly after Costello addressed viewers, CNN World Wide president Jeff Zucker sent the following note to CNN staff:
As many of you may have just heard, Carol Costello announced that her last day on Newsroom will be this Friday. While we’ll miss her unmistakable reporting, calming presence on the air, big smile and even bigger laugh on CNN, I’m happy to say she isn’t going far — she’ll be staying in the family and joining HLN in Los Angeles.
During her more than 15 years with us, Carol has been at the forefront of some of the world’s most significant news stories, including the Boston bombing, Pope Francis’ historic visit and our coverage of the Iraq war. She is all heart and grace, and the epitome of a seasoned journalist, making her the perfect fit to join HLN’s powerful bench of anchors.
Carol’s decision to leave CNN was a personal one. After many years balancing a long-distance marriage with her demanding career, she is cashing in her miles and permanently relocating to the west coast. Ken Jautz will be sharing more details about her new LA-based show in the coming weeks.
It’s with infinite gratitude that I thank Carol for being a friend to me, and an influential voice that has helped grow CNN and contribute to our success.
Please join Ken and me in congratulating Carol on this great new role.