Chris Wallace’s return date on CNN, HBO Max debut revealed
CNN anchor Chris Wallace will make his return to the airwaves later this month, roughly five months after network execs pulled the plug on the doomed CNN+ streaming service.
CNN revealed it will release the first three episodes of a revamped “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace” on HBO Max on Sept. 23. The best moments from Wallace’s interviews will also air on CNN beginning on Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. ET.
Wallace’s return will occur during a period of transition for the network, where CNN president Chris Licht is rethinking lineups and programming to reflect a new emphasis on non-partisan coverage.
“I am excited to be back in the studio having candid, real conversations with a rich variety of guests who are standouts in their fields,” Wallace said in a statement Tuesday. “I can’t wait for the HBO Max and CNN audiences to get to see what our team has been working on.”
The first season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace” will be 10 weeks long, according to CNN. Notable guests during the season-long run include ex-Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, actor and producer Tyler Perry and author James Patterson, among others.
“Chris Wallace is a legend in our profession. His unparalleled interviewing expertise has made an impact across industries and changed history,” Licht said in a statement. “And now with the launch of his program on both HBO Max and CNN, his iconic interview style will reach an expansive audience unlike anything before.”
After joining CNN following two decades at Fox News, Wallace was tabbed to anchor a show of the same name on the company’s streaming service.
But WarnerBros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav opted to shutter CNN+ just one month into its existence after the costly experiment failed to draw many subscribers.
In May, CNN revealed its plan for Wallace to appear on HBO Max as well as part of CNN’s primetime lineup. The date of Wallace’s second “debut” was not known until Tuesday.
Licht and Zaslav are leading an overhaul at CNN, which included the network’s recent decision to oust left-leaning anchor Brian Stelter and cancel his long-running show “Reliable Sources.” Network brass are also prepping a revamp of CNN’s morning show block.