Brian Stelter, a veteran journalist and former CNN host, is returning to the network as a Chief Media Analyst, two years after being let go amid CNN’s reconstruction phase.
Stelter announced on Tuesday that he will be rejoining the network and helming the Reliable Sources newsletter, a position he held before his departure in 2022.
In a Twitter thread, Stelter shared that he is coming back to CNN with a fresh perspective, after a two-year hiatus. He joked about his experience being let go from CNN, saying “getting fired was the best thing that’s ever happened to me — until it happened to me.”
Stelter also shared that he has changed his media habits since his departure from CNN, trying on a variety of other hats, including a Harvard fellowship, BBC talking head, and magazine writer. He learned about the ups and downs of freelancing and experienced the news from a different perspective, which he said will bring to his new role at CNN.
Stelter’s return to CNN comes two years after his departure amid controversies surrounding his relationship with Allison Gollust, CNN’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, which led to his exit from the network.
Stelter told NPR at the time of his departure that it was a rare privilege to lead a weekly show focused on the press at a time when it has never been more consequential.
