Christiane Amanpour is heading to ABC.
After a few weeks of back-and-forth speculation, CNN’s star international reporter has been hired by ABC to host “The Week,” it’s Sunday political talk show.
ABC has been on the hunt for a permanent host of “This Week” since last fall, when Charles Gibson’s retirement sent in motion a series of moves that sent Diane Sawyer to “World News” from “Good Morning America,” George Stephanopoulos from “This Week” to “GMA" and a series of roving guest hosts, including Barbara Walters, Maureen Dowd and senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper.
CNN said that Amanpour will be leaving her international show at the end of April.
"While I don’t presume to speak for her, as her colleague and friend for more than 25 years I know that this decision has not been an easy one," CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton wrote in a memo.
Amanpour, however, won't be arriving at "This Week" until August. ABC said Thursday that Tapper will fill in as the interim host full-time until she does.
"More than once over the years we've talked with Christiane about her joining us in one position or another," ABC News chief David Westin wrote in an e-mail to staffers. "Until now, it wasn't the right time or the right fit."
Westin also confirmed what Amanpour reportedly suggested to CNN colleagues: that the show will cover more international politics than it ever has.
"Christiane will bring the international and the domestic together, in the interviews she does and in the roundtable over which she presides," Westin wrote. "Our audience has come to us for years to see differing points of views expressed in intelligent and compelling ways; now the different points of view will be expanded beyond partisan politics alone."
Below, Westin and Walton's full memos regarding Amanpour's move to their respective staffs:
I am delighted to announce that Christiane Amanpour will join ABC News as the new anchor of "This Week." A highly respected journalist recognized around the world for her reporting, she brings to her new position a wealth of experience and knowledge, as well as a deep commitment to bringing news of the world to the American people. She will also appear on all other ABC News programs and platforms to provide international analysis of the important issues of the day. And, she will be anchoring primetime documentaries on international subjects.
Christiane will join us from CNN where, for two decades she has reported from the world's major conflicts, including those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Rwanda, and the Balkans. She has received every major broadcast journalism award. A formidable interviewer, she has sat down in global exclusives with many of the world's leaders and military chiefs from the Middle East, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan to Africa, Europe and the United States.
More than once over the years we've talked with Christiane about her joining us in one position or another.
