Kaitlan Collins Is No Longer CNN's 'Favorite'—but She Has Zero Envy For The New Star

Reports indicate that she is out as CNN's "favorite," but don't expect Kaitlan Collins to make new enemies over the fact that she may not be the first choice to be the network's star. Details emerged that CNN's Abby Phillip is the name executives have pegged as the potential new face of the network. 

According to celebrity reporter Rob Shuter's Naughty or Nice Substack, Phillip has leapfrogged Collins as the heir apparent. "There's a noticeable power shift happening inside CNN. Abby has become management's favorite, and everyone at the network knows it," a source told Shuter. "Anderson [Cooper] has been the face of CNN for decades, and Kaitlan was widely viewed as the future of political coverage," the insider said. Even though execs see that Collins has considerable talent, they also think she can ruffle feathers. "CNN believes Abby feels smarter, fresher, and less polarizing. ... At CNN right now, Abby Phillip is the priority," the source said, adding that there was no evidence of friction between Collins and Phillip.

In fact, expect Collins to be supportive of the ascent of her co-worker — who also appears to be a good friend. When Phillip had a baby shower in June 2021, Collins didn't just attend the party; she hosted it. "Thank you to my CNN family for showering our baby girl with love. And especially to @kaitlancollins for being the most amazing hostess!" Phillip wrote in the caption of an Instagram carousel recapping the shower. A couple of years later, the pair attended Variety's New Power of New York event in October 2023. Phillip posted pics of the two anchors together on Instagram, mentioning in her caption how both she and Collins had made Variety's list. These aren't the only examples of Collins and Phillip supporting one another.

Weeks before the report was published claiming that Abby Phillip was being groomed as the potential new face of CNN, she attended the Warner Brothers upfronts at Madison Square Garden. Anderson Cooper, the seasoned lead of CNN, was joined on stage by both Phillip and Kaitlan Collins, and the three discussed how the network would continue evolving. Fans showed their approval of seeing the rising news anchors working together. "Love watching these two beautiful women Ms. @kaitlancollins & @abbydphillip kicking butt in primetime," one person wrote on X while reposting footage of their joint presentation.

There are plenty of supporters, but also many CNN viewers who can't stand Collins — hence, it being mentioned in Rob Shuter's Substack that Phillip was the less "polarizing" option. That came apparent in a Reddit thread in January that heralded Collins as "the best journalist on CNN period." The post elicited some heated responses: While some showered Collins with praise, others disparaged her as "opportunistic." Some fans used the opportunity to name other anchors they enjoyed seeing. "I think Abby Phillip is one of the best on CNN," one Redditor commented.

Regardless of who may ultimately become the fan favorite, it seems that Collins and Phillip will not fall into a behind-the-scenes power struggle as CNN develops both of their careers.