Fired ‘60 Minutes' Anchor Scott Pelley Is a Carefree Sailor in New Photo: ‘You Are the Wind in My Sails'
Scott Pelley, the former 60 Minutes correspondent who was recently fired from CBS News, took to Instagram to express his gratitude to fans and followers.
Pelley, 68, steered a sailboat on the high seas with a smile on his face and an American flag behind him in the photo, a significant departure from his typically serious face on the venerable news program. However, it was his message of gratitude that proved to be the most significant.
"To all of you who have been so kind, you are the wind in my sails. So deeply grateful," Pelley captioned the photo.
When Was Scott Pelley Fired From 60 Minutes?
Pelley was fired from 60 Minutes on May 30. The termination came shortly after the anchor butted heads with the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton. The incident went down publicly in a staff meeting, only exacerbating the existing conflict between CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and the longtime staff of the iconic newsmagazine program. During the meeting, which was captured on audio, Pelley accused Weiss of "murdering" 60 Minutes.
In a letter to Pelley, which was obtained by a variety of news sources, Bilton informed Pelley of his termination.
"Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear," Bilton said in the letter. "And I have heard you. I therefore write on behalf of CBS News to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately."
Check out the letter from Bilton to Pelley below:
#BREAK: CBS NEWS has terminated Scott Pelley's contract. pic.twitter.com/vbXyX8PBBv
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 3, 2026
In a separate note to 60 Minutes employees, Bilton made it clear that the network and Pelley had "parted ways."
"I know how much Scott meant to many of you, and I don't say this lightly," Bilton wrote in the letter, NBC News shared. "I made repeated attempts to have direct conversations with him over the weekend, and this afternoon I tried to find common ground. That was not the path Scott chose."
Who Else Has Left 60 Minutes?
Last week, CBS News announced they were ousting former executive producer Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, Variety reported.
Anderson Cooper, who has contributed to the show for nearly 20 years, announced he would be leaving the program in February, Parade previously shared.
"The thing is, it's never felt like work. It's felt like you're stepping into people's lives, and you're invited into people's homes," Cooper reflected. "You're invited into their struggles, you're invited into whatever it is that has brought them to be on 60 Minutes."
Related: Veteran Journalist Scott Pelley Fired From ‘60 Minutes' After Dramatic Clash
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 4:20 PM.