CNN experienced a significant departure (thankfully not due to any unfortunate event) as anchor Brooke Baldwin, a familiar face and also the host for the network’s New Year’s Eve coverage, revealed that she’s bidding farewell after being with CNN since 2008.
On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, edition of CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, she dropped the bombshell, announcing her departure in “mid-April” to venture into “the next chapter of my life.”
Brooke Baldwin had been a prominent figure hosting from both Atlanta and New York since 2014, and it was during her afternoon show on that Tuesday that she officially confirmed her departure from the Cable News Network, effective by April.
And get this – just a few months later, she was succeeded by political anchor Jake Tapper. Talk about a whirlwind of changes!
Who is Brooke Baldwin?
Baldwin, aged 41, is this American journalist and TV host, right? She’s been holding it down at CNN since 2008. So get this – she’s the face of CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, rolling from 3 pm to 4 pm ET on weekdays.
Oh, and props to her; she snagged an Emmy nom for covering the protests after Eric Garner’s 2014 death in NYC.
During her CNN stint, Baldwin was in the trenches covering some big shots – Trump’s inauguration, the 2016 Pulse nightclub drama, Obama’s second inauguration, and the 2015 Baltimore protests.
But here’s the scoop – in February, during her afternoon gig, she dropped some “personal news.” The 41-year-old spilled the beans that she’s hitting pause on the news scene and bidding adieu to CNN in April. Why? Well, she is a step away from being the bravest version of herself. Sometimes you just have to make that move, you know?
Is Brooke Baldwin Still Working at CNN?
Baldwin bid farewell to CNN on April 16, but not without airing her thoughts on the gender dynamics at the network.
In a candid moment, she voiced her concerns about the limited opportunities for women at CNN. Speaking on the Ms Magazine podcast, Baldwin expressed frustration, stating, “The most famous and influential anchors on our network, or say the highest-paid, are men.
My bosses, my executives, they are all men. The person who is in charge of CNN Dayside is a man, even my executive producer for ten years is a man. So I have been surrounded by a lot of men.”
She humorously added, “I was surrounded by a lot of dudes.”
Acknowledging some progress, Baldwin mentioned that CNN has gradually started empowering women, particularly in roles like digital and newsgathering executives.
However, she emphasized that there’s still work to be done, saying, “It’s getting better, but we still have a bit of a way to go. I want more women in the room.”
What Was Her Candid Reason for Leaving?
So, Baldwin spilled the beans in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment about why she’s saying goodbye to her long-term gig, and it turns out, she’s feeling a bit too comfy.
She dropped some wisdom she got from her dad, who once said, “Once you’re super comfy somewhere for a really long time, it’s a sign to shake things up.” Baldwin took that to heart, keeping in mind that being uncomfortable can actually be a good thing.
She got real about how tough it is to move on from something so cozy, mentioning how she sacrificed a chunk of her social life and spent a good portion of her younger years feeling pretty alone.
Even though it might not make sense to others why she’s leaving, she’s following her gut, saying, “I could comprehend from the outside why it makes no sense for me to be departing, but it just – in my gut, I just know it is right. I just have to go.”
As for her next move? Well, she’s keeping it real and saying she has no clue yet. No jokes, she doesn’t know what’s coming, but she’s dead serious that whatever it is, it’s going to involve deep storytelling. She’s all about having control over how she tells those stories and how much time she gets to dedicate to them.
What Did Her CNN Colleagues Say on Her Last Day?
Wolf Blitzer, the host at CNN, took to Twitter to share some heartfelt words about his colleague, Brooke Baldwin. In his tweet, he mentioned, “My nice friend and colleague Brooke Baldwin is folding up her wonderful and fruitful years at CNN. We will miss her however, we wish her only the very best as she embarks on her next adventure.”
What are Brooke Baldwin’s Plans Moving Forward?
Brooke Baldwin did not disclose whether she will be joining another network. However, she has shared insights into her upcoming endeavors, with a particular focus on her book titled ‘Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power.’
In a tweet, she expressed her enthusiasm for the next chapter in her life, stating, “This next life chapter will be centered on what I love the most about my work: amplifying the lives of outstanding Americans and putting my love for storytelling to good use.
For the last two years, I’ve been working on my book #Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power.”
During an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ show on March 12, Brooke humorously acknowledged the magnitude of her decision, stating, “It was obviously a huge, huge decision. I put a lot of thought into it, but here’s what I didn’t put a lot of thought into: what I’m actually going to do next.”
