Kaitlan Collins’ seasoned television producer has unexpectedly resigned from her CNN program, reportedly due to being overwhelmed by the struggling network.
Kristin Donnelly has stepped down from her role as executive producer of The Source with Kaitlan Collins, as reported in Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter.
CNN staff were informed of her exit on Thursday, during which she allegedly expressed to colleagues that the rigorous schedule had taken a significant toll on her, describing the hours as “brutal.”
Donnelly had been part of the show since its inception in 2023, recruited for her expertise in managing prominent television programs.
Prior to this, she worked on Inside Politics with John King, a position she began in 2017 upon joining the established media organization.
According to Nielsen ratings, Collins’ show is the most-viewed primetime program for the liberal network among the crucial demographic of viewers aged 25 to 54.
The host, who earns $3 million annually, is balancing dual responsibilities as both the anchor of her show and the chief White House correspondent.
DailyMail.com has reached out to CNN and the publicist for The Source for comments. Kristin Donnelly has reportedly resigned from her position as executive producer of The Source with Kaitlan Collins. CNN employees were notified of her departure on Thursday, where she reportedly told coworkers that the demanding schedule had taken its toll on her.
Donnelly had been with Collins’ show since its launch in 2023 and was brought on for her experience managing high-profile shows.
Donnelly’s exit occurs at a time when the legacy network is facing challenges with its viewership.
Although Collins’ program is the most-watched for the network, it ranks third in the 9 PM slot, significantly trailing behind Fox News’ Hannity, which boasts 272,000 viewers, and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, which narrowly surpasses Collins with 132,000 viewers, according to Nielsen data.
Fox News maintains a substantial lead during primetime hours, which span from 4 PM to 11 PM, with its most popular shows.CNN has surpassed MSNBC in several primetime slots, including Anderson Cooper’s program, which attracts 110,000 viewers, compared to Jen Psaki’s show, which averages 70,000 viewers within the crucial demographic.
In terms of overall primetime viewership, Collins achieves 569,000 viewers, while Hannity draws in 2.7 million and Maddow has 1.7 million viewers.
Recently, Collins encountered criticism on social media for her coverage of President Donald Trump, with some users humorously referring to her as the ‘female Jim Acosta.’
On Friday, Collins shared a video on CNN’s official social media accounts, highlighting an intriguing piece of artwork displayed outside the Oval Office. Her show ranks as the most-watched primetime program for the liberal network among the key advertising demographic of individuals aged 25 to 54, although it still lags significantly behind Fox News’ Hannity and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
In May 2023, Collins moderated a CNN town hall featuring Donald Trump.
In the video, Collins remarked, “Not only have we never had a U.S. president with a mugshot – I’m not sure we’ve ever had a mugshot displayed outside of the Oval Office before.”
Following the video, Trump supporters directed insults at Collins on social media, with one user on X stating, “Kaitlan Collins of CNN is upset that President Trump is proudly showcasing his mugshot outside the Oval Office.”