CNN’s Victor Blackwell to take over Brooke Baldwin’s slot

Blackwell announced the news on his Twitter account on Wednesday

Feb 17, 2021

It looks like Victor Blackwell is moving up the CNN ladder.

Blackwell will host his own afternoon show on the network, The New Day Weekend, and the 10 a.m. Saturday hour of CNN Newsroom, replacing afternoon anchor Brooke Baldwin who announced her departure on air this week.

Blackwell announced the news via Twitter on Wednesday.

“Looking forward to this new chapter at @CNN, working with ⁦ @AlisynCamerota and the move to New York,” he wrote. “After nearly 9 years in ATL, leaving isn’t easy. The last 7+ years with ⁦ @Christi_Paul have been some of the most enjoyable of my career.”

Looking forward to this new chapter at @CNN, working with ⁦@AlisynCamerota⁩ and the move to New York.

After nearly 9 years in ATL, leaving isn’t easy. The last 7+ years with ⁦@Christi_Paul⁩ have been some of the most enjoyable of my career. https://t.co/UkBfiTvpfW
— Victor Blackwell CNN (@VictorBlackwell) February 17, 2021

On Tuesday, Baldwin announced her departure:

“The next chapter of life will be focused on what I love the most about my work, amplifying the lives of extraordinary Americans and putting my passion for storytelling to good use,” she said during her show.

New York Magazine and HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali broke the story about Blackwell, along with several other CNN personnel moves on Twitter.

2. @DylanByers with more on the structure of the afternoon moves at CNN https://t.co/ECuRu18RZ3
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 16, 2021

“Multiple sources familiar with the negotiations tell me that @AnaCabrera and @VictorBlackwell are set to take over Brooke Baldwin’s slot at CNN with their own programs,” Ali tweeted.

Blackwell is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and got his start at CNN in August 2012 after being a local reporter. He majored in broadcast journalism at Howard University.

Back in 2019, he made headlines for defending his hometown after Donald Trump made disparaging comments about former Congressman Elijah Cummings and Baltimore.

Trump called the area a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess.“

Blackwell addressed the former president’s comments and said:

“The president says about congressman Cummings’ district that no human would want to live there. You know who did, Mr. President? I did. From the day I was brought home from the hospital to the day I left for college and a lot of people I care about still do. There are challenges, no doubt.

He continued, “But people are proud of their community. I don’t want to sound self-righteous, but people get up and go to work there, they care for their families there, they love their children who pledge allegiance to the flag just like people who live in districts of congressmen who support you, sir. They are Americans too.”