William Whitaker was born on August 26, 1951, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He pursued graduate journalism studies at the University of California, Berkeley before beginning his broadcasting career in 1979 at KQED in San Francisco, where he worked as a producer, associate producer, and researcher. He joined CBS News as a reporter in 1984, starting in Atlanta and going on to serve as the Tokyo correspondent from 1989 to 1992.

During his Tokyo posting, Whitaker covered landmark moments across Asia, including the pro-democracy uprising at Tiananmen Square and military coup attempts in the Philippines. He was then posted to Los Angeles in 1992, where he spent over two decades reporting for CBS Evening News and CBS Sunday Morning. He also served as CBS News’ lead correspondent on George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign.

Bill Whitaker joined 60 Minutes in March 2014, quickly becoming one of its most decorated contributors. In 2021, he guest-hosted ten episodes of Jeopardy! following Alex Trebek’s death. He still serves as a correspondent for 60 Minutes and has committed to returning for the 59th season of the show, which premieres in September 2026.