The Full Transformation Of CNN's Erin Burnett

Erin Burnett has always had her eye on the prize. As the host of "Erin Burnett OutFront" since 2011, the news anchor knew, even before landing her current gig, that she wanted to be exactly where she is today: at CNN. But just like her fellow CNN colleague Kaitlan Collins, who's also had quite the transformation, Burnett had to make a few stops along the way. (For more on CNN's chief White House correspondent, read our piece on Kaitlan Collins' gorgeous black dress moments.)

Burnett got her first offer to work for CNN while she was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. The future news anchor was hired to do the writing and booking for CNN's "Moneyline," but it was short-lived because the opportunity to be VP at Citigroup arose. After about two years, in 2003, Burnett accepted an offer at Bloomberg Television as the anchor and stocks editor, before eventually finding a home at CNBC from 2005 to 2011.

"I wish I could say I was one of those people that grew up wanting to be Jane Pauley... But we only had three channels," Burnett told Broadcasting and Cable in June 2011, via Business Insider. "I remember having a big crush on Dan Rather, and I remember watching the 'MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour,' but I didn't want to be a television journalist." While that may be the case, her high school classmates felt differently, having voted her "most likely to host a talk show." Then in 2011, CNN came knocking again.

Although being a television journalist wasn't on Erin Burnett's to-do list, working at CNN definitely was. While she was growing up in Maryland, her parents often took the family to nearby Washington, D.C., for different events. On more than one occasion, they saw CNN contributors like Bernard Shaw and David Gergen. So CNN was always a part of the fabric of Burnett's life.

"I remember when I was in New York, I would run the lower loop by Central Park South. There's a big time and date showing on the side of one of the buildings, and it was 'CNN' for many years," Burnett told AdWeek in October 2021. "I remember looking up there and thinking about the power of the CNN brand. I always had this feeling about it, that it was this vaunted, special place." When Burnett scored CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" in October 2011, at the primetime hour of 7 p.m., it was really a dream come true for the then-35-year-old.

Now, with the 15^th anniversary of "Erin Burnett OutFront" coming up in October, Burnett is one of the most recognizable faces on television. Along the way, Burnett has a had full transformation in both her personal and professional life. Not only has her CNN show outlived many of the network's other evening shows, like those hosted by Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo, but she's also gotten married (in 2012) and had three children. While we don't know for sure what lies ahead for Burnett, with her talent and ambition, the only way for her is up.