Stephanie Elam Exits CNN After Over 20 Years at Network

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Stephanie Elam is closing her chapter at CNN.

After more than two decades with the cable news network, the veteran reporter announced her departure.

In a social media statement on April 18th, Stephanie announced that after more than 20 years at CNN, she is moving on. She’s covered a wide range of topics – from environmental issues and entertainment to business and major breaking news – and expressed immense pride in her career, saying it’s been a privilege to document history through live reports, pre-recorded segments, and various on-air roles.

Stephanie, a 52-year-old journalist, recently finished her last piece for CNN. She had previously worked at the network as a New York correspondent, then spent some time at KNBC before returning to CNN in 2013 as a Los Angeles-based correspondent. Her final segment was with close friend and colleague Sara Snider, who shared a heartfelt tribute.

On April 18th, Sara acknowledged on CNN that Stephanie was leaving, saying, “We’re all sad to see you go.” She fondly remembered Stephanie’s work, from her enthusiastic reporting on the eclipse to her coverage of challenging events like the fires and protests they had covered together.

She continued, “Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. You’ve been like a sister to me, especially while I was going through cancer. We met through CNN, but that won’t change our bond – we’ll always be close.”

CNN said Stephanie consistently brought insightful reporting, trustworthiness, and genuine empathy to her work over the past twenty years. She was a versatile communicator who easily connected with viewers, making her a reliable source and a respected teammate. The network thanked her for all she did and wished her well in the future.

Stephanie leaving her show is just the latest surprise departure in television history. Here are some other stars who have left their shows unexpectedly…

Stephanie made it clear that she agreed with her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister’s sentiment.

She laughed and said, “You won’t be seeing the last of me! I love you all. Please tell every stage manager how much I’ve enjoyed working with everyone.”

CNN also commemorated Stephanie’s tenure at the network amid her departure.

CNN said Stephanie consistently brought insightful reporting, trustworthiness, and genuine empathy to her work over the past twenty years. She was a versatile communicator who easily connected with viewers, making her a reliable source and a well-respected team member. They thanked her for all she did and wished her the best in the future.

Stephanie leaving her show is just the latest surprise departure in television history. Here are some other stars who have left their TV roles…

Samira Mohan is leaving the show The Pitt. According to Variety, actress Supriya Ganesh won’t be back for the third season of the HBO Max drama.

Fans aren’t surprised by the character’s departure, as it’s been established that he was planning to move to a new hospital for a residency program.

In a March 2026 episode, the show said farewell to Director Leon Vance, portrayed by Rocky Carroll, after 18 seasons. The character was killed in a shootout with a dishonest agent during the show’s 500th episode and reunited with the late Donald “Ducky” Mallard, played by Adam Campbell, in heaven.

In 2025, Mehcad Brooks surprised viewers by announcing his departure from the NBC crime show before its 25th season began.

Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.

Jenna Lyons has confirmed she won’t be back for season 16 of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The rumors are true,” former J. Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons announced on Instagram on November 21st. She explained that she had been asked to join season 16 of The Real Housewives of New York City as a “friend of,” and since she wasn’t comfortable sharing her personal life on camera, they agreed that role was a good fit.

The fashion icon, who started on the Bravo show in 2022 for its fourteenth season, said she eventually decided she didn’t want to be just a supporting player.

After a lot of consideration, I’ve decided not to return to the show,” she said. “I’d be the oldest contestant and the only openly gay woman, and I think it’s a good time to let a new perspective come in.

After nine seasons, the A-list realtor is done selling mega-mansions on the Netflix reality show.

In November, Chrishell shared on social media that she no longer needs the show for income. She explained she’s fortunate to have other work and that continuing with the show was negatively affecting her mental well-being.

Hey everyone, just wanted to share some news – I won’t be back for season three of The Valley. I’ve been hearing your concerns about my behavior last season, and after a lot of thought, I feel this is the right decision for me right now. I appreciate all the support, and I’m focusing on making some positive changes.

In July 2025, the Bravo star, who is going through a difficult divorce with Brittany Cartwright, explained that he needs to prioritize getting sober, improving his mental health, and being a good coparent. He believes taking this time to focus on himself is essential, particularly for the sake of his son, Cruz.

Several cast members from Saturday Night Live recently announced they won’t be back for the show’s 51st season, with the announcements happening close together.

Longfellow and Walker each spent three seasons on SNL while Wakim exited after just one season.

Following the departures of Longfellow, Walker, and Wakim from Saturday Night Live, two more popular cast members, Gardner and Nwodim, announced they wouldn’t be back for the show’s 51st season. Gardner had been with the show for eight seasons, and Nwodim for seven.

Sofia Mattsson finished her role on the long-running soap opera in the summer of 2025, after seven years as Sasha Gilmore. Her character moved to Paris as part of the storyline.

Tracy Ifeachor, who starred in the popular HBO Max series The Pitt, has left the show after its successful first season.

The actress shared on Instagram on July 10th how honored she was to play Dr. Heather Collins in the show’s innovative first season. She also expressed gratitude to viewers for watching, offering their support, and sharing their personal stories with her.

Even though fans likely expected Joel Miller, played by Pedro Pascal, to die – his fate in April 2025 mirrored the events of The Last of Us Part II, the video game the second season of The Last of Us is based on – the shocking way his character was killed still came as a surprise.

Pascal, known for also being killed off in shows like Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wasn’t too upset about his character’s fate. He jokingly told Entertainment Weekly, “I get killed a lot. I actually enjoy it!”

Following what he called a “wild adventure,” Peter Krause finished his run as Captain Bobby Nash on the drama series 9-1-1 in an episode that aired in April 2025.

According to a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the character Bobby Nash was intentionally created to make a powerful sacrifice, reflecting the bravery of real-life first responders. The show’s creator, Krause, explained that Bobby’s storyline is meant to honor those who risk their lives to save others.

The decision to kill off a popular, yet troubled, firefighter was definitely controversial, showrunner Tim Minear told Variety. He explained that after eight seasons, they needed to raise the stakes for future storylines, and that meant someone had to die.

Summer just got a little less fun.

In June 2025, Paige DeSorbo revealed she was leaving the Bravo series after being on the show for seven seasons.

After sharing seven summers with you all, I’m so thankful for the memories, the supportive community, and all the amazing experiences this journey has given me,” the Giggly Squad podcast host announced on Instagram. “But it’s time to move on to something new, just as with everything else in life – even the things we learn from our mistakes.

The French actress announced in April 2025 that she won’t be back for the next season of the popular Netflix show.

In an April 23rd Instagram post, the actress announced she’s leaving Emily in Paris. She shared photos with her former co-stars and said her time on the show was amazing, full of growth, creativity, and cherished memories.

Okay, so this is killing me, but Reneé Rapp – my queen, honestly – just announced she’s leaving The Sex Lives of College Girls after season two! I’m seriously devastated. I was SO invested in her character and now I don’t know how the show will even be the same. It’s just… heartbreaking. I’m trying to stay positive for season three, but it won’t be easy without her!

I came to LA thanks to the show College Girls and met some of my closest friends,” she shared on social media in July 2023. “After two and a half years, it’s brought me to all of you and this amazing community.

Mindy Kaling, one of the show’s creators, also confirmed that Reneé Rapp was leaving. She shared on Instagram how much they love Rapp and will miss her character, Leighton Murray. Kaling also expressed excitement for Rapp’s upcoming music tour, saying they can’t wait to see her perform!

After over a year of speculation, Kevin Costner confirmed in June 2024 that he won’t be returning for the fifth and final season of the popular Paramount drama. Rumors had circulated that he unexpectedly left the show after four and a half seasons.

In February 2023, Ellen Pompeo finished her run as Meredith Grey on the ABC drama after playing the role for 19 years.

Pompeo admitted on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022 that she needed a change of pace, even though she’d already made a guest appearance in May and continues to narrate the show. She explained that at 53, her mind feels scattered, and she needs to challenge herself with new things. She compared it to not being able to do the New York Times crossword puzzle every day.

But she’s not gone for good. Pompeo still pops in and out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Henry Cavill, known for his role in Batman vs. Superman, has announced he’s leaving the Netflix fantasy series after season three. Liam Hemsworth will take over as Geralt, starting with season four and likely continuing in future seasons.

In an October 2022 Instagram post, Henry Cavill announced that after playing Geralt of Rivia, he would be stepping down from his role in Season 4, saying his time with the character and its adventures had come to an end.

Jesse Lee Soffer, an original cast member, left the show in 2022 after playing Detective Jay Halstead for ten seasons.

Everyone involved with the show has put their heart and soul into making each week’s episode, and it’s been a rewarding experience,” said Jesse Soffer after his last appearance on the NBC series on October 5th. “I’m incredibly proud of my time playing Detective Jay Halstead.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

In August 2021, Emily VanCamp left the TV show The Resident on Fox, meaning she would no longer be playing her role as a doctor on the series.

Madeleine Mantock, who played Macy on the CW’s Charmed reboot, decided to leave the show after three seasons. She announced her departure in 2021 before season four began, calling the role a wonderful opportunity and expressing her appreciation for the show’s producers, writers, and cast and crew.

I’m still reeling from it, honestly. Liz Keen… gone. It’s just not fair! After eight seasons of waiting, of desperately wanting her to finally understand who Red really is, they just… killed her off! Megan Boone decided to leave The Blacklist, and I guess that was that. She didn’t even get to read the letter! The letter that held all the answers! It’s devastating. She posted on Instagram that being on the show was a ‘dream,’ which, okay, good for her, but it doesn’t make my heartbreak any better. Liz deserved to know the truth, and we deserved to see it happen!

The second season of Bridgerton didn’t include Rege-Jean Page, who became a fan favorite in the first season of the popular Netflix drama. Fans were disappointed when it was announced he wouldn’t be returning in 2021.

He told Vanity Fair that he simply did the work he signed up for, and then took on additional assignments. He admitted he wished the story were more exciting, but that was all there was to it.

Ruby Rose first appeared as Batwoman (Kate Kane) in a 2018 Arrowverse event and then led the CW’s Batwoman series for one season. This was a historic moment, as it marked the first time a lesbian superhero starred in her own show and publicly came out as gay. However, Rose announced she was leaving the show just two days after the first season ended in 2020. In season two, Javicia Leslie took over the role, playing a new character named Ryan Wilder who became the new Batwoman.

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

America Ferrera left the show Superstore after its fifth season in 2020, which meant Cloud 9 lost its manager and the series lost a central character. Because of the pandemic, she made a brief appearance in the first two episodes of the sixth season. When the sixth season became the show’s last, she returned for the final episode to ensure her character, Amy, and Jonah (Ben Feldman) got the satisfying conclusion fans wanted.

In the final episode of season four of the Syfy show The Magicians, Jason Ralph’s character, Quentin, successfully rescued Eliot, played by Hale Appleman, but died in the process. Although the show often features characters dying – it is called The Magicians – Ralph didn’t appear in the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I are very close, but after the seventh chapter, we’ll be finishing up and saying goodbye, she explained.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

Lauren Cohan initially left The Walking Dead in 2018 after difficult contract talks. While she appeared in a few episodes of season nine, her character, Maggie Greene, disappeared after a time jump of six years. Show producers wanted her to come back, and when her short-lived TV show Whiskey Cavalier was canceled, she did. Cohan returned to The Walking Dead in the 16th episode of season ten, which aired in October 2020.

Following Cohan and Andrew Lincoln’s departures from the show, Danai Gurira also left. She first appeared in season three as Michonne, the skilled swordswoman, and her final episode aired in March 2020 as part of season ten.

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2026-04-20 15:19