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Ex-"NYPD Blue" Star Exits CNN
Andrea Thompson, the actress who quit NYPD Blue to become a TV journalist, has announced she's leaving her post at CNN Headline News less than a year after her controversial hiring.
Thompson said in a statement that after several weeks of consideration, she felt it was time to move on.
"I've enjoyed anchoring at Headline News but have decided that it is time for me to make a change in my daily professional life," said Thompson. No word on what exactly that change entails--it was not immediately clear if the former actress would continue her brief journalism career or try something new.
CNN was quick to quash rumors that Thompson was being forced out, stressing that the decision was Thompson's and that Headline News' ratings had been up substantially since she took over as part of a major retooling of the 24-hour cable news channel.
"Andrea was part of the launch of Headline News in August of last year and has contributed a great deal of time and effort to the network," said Rolando Santos, executive vice president and general manager of CNN Headline News. "We're grateful for her hard work and her contributions to Headline News. We wish her the very best...I'm confident she'll succeed in whatever path she chooses next."
Insiders said several factors likely contributed to Thompson's sudden departure. Thompson may have felt overburdened by the demands of her post and the long hours. It was rumored that she was also unhappy, feeling there was little room for her to advance at Headline News and CNN.
Thompson, 42, watched from the sidelines as CNN went on a shopping spree, hiring news personalities Paula Zahn and Connie Chung to take over the cable channel's morning and prime-time newscasts.
In any case, Thompson's exit will undoubtedly cause celebration among her many detractors in the journalism community who felt she only got her job as a shameless ratings ploy.
Although she was a high-school dropout with no prior journalism experience, Thompson announced in March 2000 that she was turning in her NYPD Blue badge (she played sultry blonde Detective Jill Kirkendall) and taking a reporting gig at a New Mexico TV station.
A year later, she was tapped by Headline News to lead its revamped format.
Her credibility as a talking head wasn't helped any when nude pictures of the former actress turned up linked to a satirical Website run by former CNN employees. However, despite the furor over the pics, her bosses at Headline News defended her.
A CNN spoksperson says the resignation is effective immediately and news anchor Sophia Choi will replace Thompson in the prime-time 6-10 p.m. ET slot.
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