Out News Anchor Thomas Roberts Leaves CNN

Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts, who came out to fellow journalists while speaking at the annual convention of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association in Miami last year, left CNN on May 1.

"After five years, he has decided to leave us, with intentions to settle in the Washington, D.C., area," Ken Jautz, CNN executive president wrote in a memo on Monday.

In March, Roberts came forward with his story about how he was abused by a Catholic priest as a teenager, "I became a victim of sexual abuse at the age of 14; the abuse lasted three years. It took me nearly 20 years to gather the strength to help put my abuser behind bars. Now, a year after "justice" was done, I am ready to tell my story publicly in ways I never have before."

Roberts lost his afternoon anchoring timeslot in September and this may be the reason why he decided to leave CNN. Jautz's memo only said that Roberts will be "pursuing new journalistic opportunities," which some sources are speculating may be a syndication deal.

Roberts has received numerous honors and awards, including a 2002 Emmy nomination as well as the 2002 Virginia AP Award in the Documentary/In-Depth Category for "Parvo Puppies," an investigation into a local Virginia/North Carolina puppy mill which was eventually shut down due to Roberts' investigative report. He also received a 2001 Edward R. Murrow Award for a documentary he produced, and readers of The Virginian Pilot voted him "favorite male anchor." In 2005, Jezebel magazine named him one of the "50 Most Beautiful Atlantans."