Celebrity - News
Why Diane Sawyer Isn't On TV Much Anymore
By LAYLA ABDELJABBAR
leaving ABC WORLD NEWS
In 2014, Diane Sawyer gave up her famous anchor's seat at ABC's "World News," hinting that she was ready to do more exciting fieldwork. However, NBC apparently felt like Sawyer's time had hit a ceiling, and switching to new anchor David Muir was the only way they could win back their ratings.
a HEctic schedule
During her 2012 election coverage, Sawyer seemed to slur her words and appeared disheveled on-air the morning after. Sources close to ABC News told Business Insider, "I think not getting enough sleep played some role in that" — Sawyer's hectic schedule may be why she stepped away from television.
Losing her mother
Sawyer received crushing news in 2014 when her mother passed away at the age of 94. Jean Sawyer Hayes was a teacher who spent over three decades in the classroom educating the youth, and Diane called her "a force of nature, optimistic, spunky and energetic"; the loss must have been extremely hard on the news icon.
Losing her Husband
In the midst of grieving her mother, another blow hit Sawyer when her husband, Mike Nichols, suffered a fatal heart attack. Nichols was an award-winning producer and director, known for films like "The Graduate" and "Working Girl," and he and Sawyer had a very close relationship, resulting in overwhelming grief.
criticism of her past
Sawyer has found herself in the hot seat as past interviews with Britney Spears and Janet Jackson have resurfaced and gone viral. With the release of Hulu's "Framing Britney Spears," the public has reexamined Sawyer's style of interviewing and deemed it invasive and insensitive, which isn't a career win.