Wed Dec 31 05:10:00 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen to Host CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live for 2026
NEW YORK, NY – CNN announced today that Anderson Cooper will return to host “New Year’s Eve Live” for the ninth consecutive year, ringing in 2026 alongside his longtime best friend, Andy Cohen. The broadcast will begin at 8 PM ET on December 31st, 2025.
Cooper, known for his journalistic integrity and on-air charisma, will be front and center as America bids farewell to 2025. While viewers eagerly anticipate the annual tradition, many have questions about Cooper’s personal life.
Despite rumors over the years, Cooper and Cohen have never been romantically involved. Cooper, who publicly came out as gay in 2012, is currently single and focused on raising his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, with his former partner, Benjamin Maisani. Cooper and Maisani ended their romantic relationship in 2018 and share a unique co-parenting arrangement, residing together as they raise their children. Cooper stated that differing views on having children initially contributed to their breakup. The two remain close friends and dedicated to their family.
Cooper and Cohen’s enduring friendship began in the 1990s. A planned blind date fizzled before it began. Despite this, the two formed a tight-knit friendship through shared travel experiences and mutual friends. They now take family vacations together with their children, proving that their bond extends beyond the television screen.
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