NEW YORK (AP) —
Veteran anchor Chris Wallace has left Fox News after 18 years for CNN.
His announcement Sunday deals a significant blow to Fox’s news operation at a time it's been overshadowed by the network’s opinion side.
Wallace delivered the surprising news that he was leaving at the end of the “Fox News Sunday” show he moderates.
Within two hours, CNN announced he was joining its new streaming service as an anchor.
CNN+ is expected to debut in early 2022.
The 74-year-old Wallace said he was “ready for a new adventure."
Wallace had been one of a prominent trio of straight-news anchors at Fox who offered a contrast to popular opinion hosts such as Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity.
![Chris Wallace](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dfd9470/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4096x2304+0+212/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3e%2Fe7%2Fa3a23abf4601a2158683b508c976%2Fap21346549450043.jpg)
Olivier Douliery/AP
FILE - Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News speaks as President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020. Wallace says he's leaving the network after 18 years and is “ready for a new adventure.” Wallace made the announcement, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at the end of the weekly news show he moderates, “Fox News Sunday.”(Olivier Douliery/Pool via AP, File)
![Chris Wallace](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dfd9470/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4096x2304+0+212/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3e%2Fe7%2Fa3a23abf4601a2158683b508c976%2Fap21346549450043.jpg)
Posted
and last updated
Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.