Elizabeth Vargas Joins NewsNation for Tonight’s News Show

Former 20/20 host Elizabeth Vargas has found a new home with Chris Cuomo on the new NewsNation network.

The longtime ABC News reporter will host Elizabeth Vargas Reports, an hour-long New York-based news program airing at 6 p.m. April 3, NewsNation reported on Tuesday.

She joins a group of talking heads that includes former ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams, Ashley Banfield, who worked at CNN and MSNBC, and Cuomo, who was fired from CNN in 2021.

Vargas, who spent 14 years as an anchor on ABC News’ 20/20 and World News Tonight, left the network in 2018.

Her career at ABC was marred by alcoholism. In 2014, she was forced to speak publicly about her struggles due to press reports. ABC warned her to stay sober or she would lose her job.

But soon after, she was caught drunk at work. She was placed on unpaid leave and sent to rehab.

Vargas detailed her struggles with alcoholism and anxiety in her 2016 memoir Between Breaths. Since leaving ABC, she has hosted a new version of America’s Most Wanted as well as the syndicated program iCrime and has directed several investigative documentaries for A&E.

Vargas said she looks forward to “spreading news and newsmakers across America and highlighting issues that really matter to everyone, everywhere.”

NewsNation president of news Michael Korn, who worked with Vargas when they both worked for ABC, called her “one of the most talented journalists working in television news today.”

“We’re confident that Elizabeth’s honest and empathetic interview style, combined with her determination to get to the bottom of important stories, will resonate with viewers as we continue to deliver on NewsNation’s promise to bring you news you can trust,” he said. .

Nexstar Media-owned NewsNation is expected to hire more staff as it aims to become a 24/7 news network.