Kaitlan Collins will officially be moving from “CNN This Morning” to take over the coveted 9 p.m. slot on the network. CNN CEO Chris Licht announced the news on Wednesday as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfront presentation in New York.
Collins will be anchoring the 9 p.m. slot regularly starting in June. This currently untitled program will air nightly and will focus on exposing “uncovered angles” and challenging “conventional wisdom to make sure viewers are seeing a story from every side.”
“In her new program, officially launching later this summer, Kaitlan will showcase why she’s one of the top reporters and interviewers in the game,” Licht said in a press release. “She is a smart and gifted journalist who we’ve all seen hold lawmakers and newsmakers accountable. She pushes politicians off their talking points, gets real answers — and as everyone who’s worked with her knows — breaks a lot of news.”
CNN will be reviewing internal candidates to work on this upcoming show. The network will also open its search for an executive producer nationwide.
As for Collins’ current obligations at the network, she will be transitioned off of “CNN This Morning,” which will see Collins’ co-host, Poppy Harlow, joined by a rotation of CNN guest anchors. More information will be shared in the months ahead.
It’s not surprising that Collins will be taking over the 9 p.m. slot. After CNN’s polarizing town hall with Donald Trump earlier this month, Collins made headlines for moderating the event. Though many viewers criticized Collins’ handling of Trump for a myriad of reasons, it seems she impressed the only person who mattered: her boss. The day after the live event, Licht praised Collins for giving a “masterful performance.” Since that town hall, there’s been speculation that the CNN journalist and former White House correspondent would be taking over this time slot, which has not had a permanent host in over a year.
