CNN announces Kaitlan Collins tapped to fill Chris Cuomo's former 9 p.m. slot

Kaitlan Collins has been tapped to fill CNN's key primetime slot at 9 p.m. EDT, once headed by Chris Cuomo.

Cuomo, now a host on NewsNation, was fired in December 2021 for assisting his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, while the politician faced sexual harassment allegations.

The network's Anderson Cooper made the announcement via video Wednesday at CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery's event for advertisers in New York. CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht shared the news with staff in a memo shared that morning.

Licht said Collins will start anchoring the hour in June, and her still-untitled show will officially premiere later this summer.

"Every night, she’ll bring fresh reporting that adds new perspective to the biggest stories of the day," Licht wrote in his memo. "Kaitlan will expose uncovered angles and challenge conventional wisdom to make sure viewers are seeing a story from every side. When she doesn’t know the answer, she asks – and she won’t stop until she gets them."

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Licht added that in light of Collins' new gig, she will leave "CNN This Morning." Poppy Harlow, the only anchor remaining following Don Lemon's firing last month, will host the program "alongside a rotation of CNN guest anchors," according to Licht.

Last week, Collins, moderated a town hall with former president Donald Trump, during which the 2024 Republican presidential candidate frequently argued with her as she sought to correct his many false statements. Toward the end of the town hall, Trump told Collins: "You are a nasty person."

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Contributing: Elise Brisco, David Jackson and Ken Tran

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kaitlan Collins, Trump town hall moderator, to anchor 9 p.m. CNN show