Christiane Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour
Born	Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour 12 1, 1958
Birthplace	Ealing, Middlesex, England
Nationality	British, Iranian
Occupation	Journalist, television host
Employer	CNN, PBS
Known for	Chief International Anchor for CNN; host of Amanpour on CNN International
Education	University of Rhode Island (BA)
Children	1

Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour (born 12 January 1958) is a British-Iranian journalist and television host who has become one of the most recognized international correspondents of her generation. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has reported from war zones, conflict areas, and seats of power across the globe, establishing herself as a defining voice in international broadcast journalism. Amanpour serves as the Chief International Anchor for CNN and hosts CNN International's nightly interview program Amanpour, CNN's The Amanpour Hour on Saturdays, and Amanpour & Company on PBS. She also hosts Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files with her ex-husband James Rubin on Global. Born in London to an Iranian father and a British mother, Amanpour's bicultural upbringing and experience of political upheaval in Iran shaped her journalistic perspective and drove her toward a career covering international affairs. Her reporting on the Bosnian War, the Gulf War, and numerous other global crises earned her a reputation for fearless and rigorous on-the-ground journalism. In February 2026, Amanpour publicly disclosed that her ovarian cancer, first diagnosed in 2021, had returned.

Early Life

Christiane Amanpour was born on 12 January 1958 in Ealing, Middlesex, England, to an Iranian father, Mohammad Taghi Amanpour, and a British mother, Patricia Amanpour. Her father was an Iranian airline executive, and the family maintained strong ties to both Britain and Iran. Amanpour spent much of her childhood in Tehran, Iran, where she grew up in a cosmopolitan household that reflected both her Persian and English heritage. Her full name, Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour, reflects this dual cultural identity, incorporating both Western and Persian naming traditions.

Amanpour's early years in Iran were shaped by the country's rapid modernization under the Shah's regime, and her family enjoyed a comfortable, upper-middle-class lifestyle. However, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 dramatically altered the course of her life and that of her family. The upheaval forced the Amanpour family to leave Iran, and Christiane, who had already been sent abroad for education, witnessed the political transformation of her homeland from a distance. The experience of revolution, displacement, and the sudden overturning of a political order left a lasting impression on the young Amanpour and contributed to her lifelong interest in international affairs and conflict reporting.

As a child and teenager, Amanpour was educated at schools in both Iran and England. She attended the Holy Cross Convent School in Buckinghamshire, England, receiving a traditional British education during her formative years. The combination of her multicultural background and her firsthand experience of political instability gave her a perspective that would prove invaluable in her later career as an international journalist. She has spoken publicly about the impact the Iranian Revolution had on her family and on her own worldview, describing it as a pivotal event that catalyzed her desire to pursue journalism as a means of understanding and explaining the world's most pressing events.

Education

Amanpour pursued her higher education in the United States, enrolling at the University of Rhode Island, where she studied journalism. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the university, completing her undergraduate studies with a focus that prepared her for a career in broadcast journalism. The University of Rhode Island's journalism program provided Amanpour with foundational training in reporting, writing, and broadcast techniques. During her time at the university, she developed the skills and professional contacts that would help launch her career in American television news. Her decision to study in the United States positioned her within the American media landscape, which would become the primary arena for her professional career, even as her reporting took her to virtually every corner of the globe.

Career

Early Career at CNN

Amanpour joined CNN in 1983, in the early years of the network's existence as the world's first 24-hour television news channel. Starting in entry-level positions, she worked her way up through the organization, initially serving as a desk assistant at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Her early years at the network were marked by determination and a willingness to take on assignments that other journalists might have avoided. As CNN expanded its global reach during the 1980s, Amanpour sought out opportunities to report from the field, gravitating toward international assignments that aligned with her background and interests.

Her early reporting assignments gave her experience covering a range of stories, but it was the outbreak of major international conflicts in the late 1980s and early 1990s that provided the platform for her emergence as one of CNN's most prominent correspondents.

The Gulf War and Rise to Prominence

The Gulf War of 1990–1991 marked a turning point for both CNN and for Amanpour personally. CNN's live coverage of the war, broadcast directly from Baghdad, transformed the network into a global news powerhouse and demonstrated the power of 24-hour cable news. Amanpour's reporting during this period showcased her ability to convey the complexities of international conflict to a mass audience. Her presence in the field during the Gulf War established her credentials as a serious war correspondent and set the stage for the assignments that would define her career in the following years.

The Bosnian War

Amanpour's reporting on the Bosnian War (1992–1995) is widely considered the body of work that cemented her reputation as one of the foremost international correspondents of her era. Reporting from Sarajevo and other locations across the former Yugoslavia, she documented the siege of Sarajevo, the ethnic cleansing campaigns, and the humanitarian catastrophe that unfolded in the heart of Europe. Her dispatches from Bosnia were noted for their directness, emotional clarity, and refusal to adopt a stance of false equivalence between aggressors and victims. Amanpour's coverage brought the realities of the Bosnian conflict into the living rooms of millions of viewers worldwide and contributed to growing international pressure for intervention.

Her reporting from Bosnia drew both acclaim and controversy. Some observers praised her for bringing moral clarity to a conflict that many journalists struggled to cover with nuance, while others criticized what they perceived as advocacy rather than objective reporting. Amanpour herself addressed these criticisms directly, arguing that in situations involving clear human rights abuses, journalists had a responsibility to report the facts as they found them rather than retreating behind a veil of artificial balance. Her Bosnian War coverage earned her multiple awards and established her as CNN's chief international correspondent, a role she would hold for years to come.

Chief International Correspondent and Global Reporting

Following her work in Bosnia, Amanpour continued to serve as CNN's chief international correspondent, reporting from conflict zones and crisis areas around the world. Over the subsequent decades, she covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab Spring, the refugee crisis in Europe, and numerous other major international stories. Her reporting style—characterized by thorough preparation, direct questioning, and a willingness to challenge the assertions of political leaders—became a hallmark of CNN's international coverage.

Amanpour conducted interviews with a broad range of world leaders, heads of state, and influential figures. Her interview subjects have included presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, and opposition leaders from across the globe. Her ability to secure interviews with figures who rarely spoke to the Western press reflected her stature within the field and her reputation for rigorous but fair questioning.

In February 2026, Amanpour was seen continuing her active interview schedule, speaking with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about transatlantic challenges at the Munich Security Conference. She also interviewed journalist Emily Maitlis regarding the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Additionally, she moderated a townhall with exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, in which Pahlavi called for international intervention regarding Iran's nuclear program.

ABC News: This Week

In March 2010, it was announced that Amanpour would leave CNN to join ABC News as the anchor of the Sunday morning political program This Week with Christiane Amanpour. Her appointment to the role represented a significant shift, as she transitioned from international field reporting to anchoring a flagship American political affairs program. The move was seen as an effort by ABC to bring a more international perspective to the traditionally domestically focused program.

Amanpour's tenure at This Week was met with mixed reception. While she brought her characteristic depth to the program and introduced segments focusing on international issues, the show experienced ratings challenges during her time as anchor. The program's ratings declined compared to its performance under previous host George Stephanopoulos, and critics debated whether Amanpour's international focus was a good fit for a Sunday morning audience accustomed to a predominantly domestic political agenda. Amanpour departed This Week and the program was subsequently returned to Stephanopoulos.

Return to CNN and Current Roles

Following her departure from ABC News, Amanpour returned to CNN, resuming her role as the network's chief international anchor. Her return was marked by the launch of Amanpour, a nightly interview program on CNN International that featured in-depth conversations with world leaders, policymakers, artists, and thinkers. The program became one of CNN International's signature shows, offering a platform for substantive discussion of global affairs at a time when many news programs were trending toward shorter, more sensationalized formats.

In addition to her CNN International program, Amanpour expanded her media presence through Amanpour & Company on PBS, which brought her interview-based format to American public television audiences. She also hosts The Amanpour Hour on CNN's Saturday programming. Her current portfolio of programs makes her one of the most prolific anchors in international broadcast journalism, with her work airing across multiple platforms and reaching audiences on several continents.

In 2026, Amanpour continued her active broadcasting schedule, conducting interviews with actors Denise Gough and Billy Crudup about their West End production of "High Noon" and its modern-day political relevance.

Personal Life

Amanpour was married to James Rubin, an American diplomat who served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs under President Bill Clinton. The couple has one child together. Amanpour and Rubin later divorced, and in 2026, the two co-host the program Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files on Global, a project that reflects an amicable post-marital professional relationship.

In June 2021, Amanpour publicly disclosed that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was undergoing treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy. Her decision to share her diagnosis on air was noted for its openness and was seen as an effort to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and encourage other women to seek regular medical attention. In February 2026, Amanpour revealed that her ovarian cancer had returned, disclosing the recurrence in a public statement. Her continued work as a broadcaster while managing her health drew attention and expressions of support from colleagues and viewers.

Amanpour holds both British and Iranian nationality, reflecting her bicultural heritage. She has maintained a connection to Iranian affairs throughout her career and has frequently reported on developments in Iran, including the country's nuclear program, its domestic political movements, and the Iranian diaspora.

Recognition

Amanpour has received numerous awards and honors over the course of her career, reflecting her contributions to international journalism. She has won multiple Emmy Awards, including several News and Documentary Emmy Awards, for her reporting from conflict zones and her interview programs.

She has been recognized by several journalism organizations for her body of work. The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) awarded her the Paul White Award, one of the highest honors in electronic journalism, recognizing her lifetime contribution to the field. The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) has also recognized Amanpour's work with its Courage in Journalism Award, honoring her for her fearlessness in reporting from dangerous locations around the world.

In 2010, Amanpour was invited to deliver the Class Day address at Harvard University, speaking to the graduating class about the importance of international journalism and civic engagement. She has also been elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honor recognizing her contributions to public discourse and the arts.

Amanpour has served on the board of directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide. Her involvement with CPJ reflects her commitment to press freedom as a core principle of democratic society. She has also served on the board of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization.

Legacy

Amanpour's career has spanned more than four decades and encompasses some of the most significant geopolitical events of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Her reporting on the Bosnian War is frequently cited as an example of how television journalism can shape public awareness and policy responses to humanitarian crises. Her insistence on factual reporting from the ground, combined with her willingness to confront powerful figures with uncomfortable questions, has influenced a generation of international correspondents.

Her role as a female journalist in environments that were often hostile to women in the press has been noted by media scholars and organizations. As one of the first women to achieve prominence as a war correspondent on international television, her career path opened doors for subsequent generations of female journalists seeking to cover conflict and international affairs.

At CNN, Amanpour's presence has been a defining element of the network's international brand. Her programs—Amanpour on CNN International, The Amanpour Hour on CNN, and Amanpour & Company on PBS—represent a commitment to long-form, substantive interview journalism in an era increasingly dominated by short-form digital content. Her interviewing style, marked by preparation, directness, and a refusal to accept evasive answers, has become a benchmark in the field.

Amanpour's advocacy for press freedom, through her board service with the Committee to Protect Journalists and other organizations, extends her influence beyond the screen. She has used her platform to speak about the dangers faced by journalists around the world, the erosion of press freedom in various countries, and the essential role of a free press in democratic governance.

Her public disclosure of her ovarian cancer diagnosis, first in 2021 and again in 2026 upon its recurrence, added a personal dimension to her public persona and drew attention to cancer awareness and the importance of early detection. Throughout her treatment, she has continued to work, maintaining her broadcasting schedule while managing her health—a fact that has been noted by colleagues and media commentators alike.