Christiane Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour
Born	Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour 12 01, 1958
Birthplace	Ealing, Middlesex, England
Nationality	British, Iranian
Occupation	Journalist, television host
Employer	CNN, PBS
Known for	International war correspondence, Amanpour on CNN International, Amanpour & Company on PBS
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 reported from the front lines of many of the world's most consequential conflicts and crises over a career spanning more than four decades. Born in London to an Iranian father and a British mother, Amanpour rose to international prominence through her fearless coverage of the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, and numerous other global events for CNN, where she serves as Chief International Anchor. She hosts CNN International's nightly interview program Amanpour, CNN's The Amanpour Hour on Saturdays, and Amanpour & Company on PBS. In addition to her CNN and PBS roles, she hosts Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files with her former husband James Rubin on Global. Throughout her career, Amanpour has interviewed heads of state, world leaders, and prominent figures across politics, culture, and the arts, establishing herself as one of the most recognized international journalists in television news. In February 2026, Amanpour revealed that her ovarian cancer, first diagnosed in 2021, had returned.

Early Life

Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour was born on 12 January 1958 in Ealing, in the county of Middlesex, England. Her father was Iranian and her mother was British, giving Amanpour a bicultural upbringing that would shape her worldview and later inform her journalism career. She spent a significant portion of her childhood in Tehran, Iran, where her family was part of the country's professional class. Her father, Mohammad Amanpour, was an Iranian airline executive.

Amanpour's early years in Iran coincided with a period of rapid modernization and social change under the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The family lived comfortably in Tehran, and Amanpour was educated at an international school in the Iranian capital during her formative years. However, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 upended the family's circumstances. The revolution, which toppled the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran, forced the Amanpour family to leave the country. The experience of witnessing political upheaval firsthand and the displacement that followed had a lasting impact on Amanpour, and she has spoken publicly about how the revolution shaped her desire to pursue journalism and report on international affairs.

After leaving Iran, Amanpour returned to England, where she completed her secondary education. The dislocation experienced by her family — the loss of their home and way of life in Iran — instilled in her a deep interest in understanding geopolitical forces and their human consequences. This background would later distinguish her reporting, which has consistently emphasized the impact of conflict and political change on ordinary people.

Education

Amanpour pursued 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. Her training in journalism at the University of Rhode Island provided her with the foundational skills in reporting, writing, and broadcast media that would underpin her subsequent career.

Amanpour has also been recognized by several major academic institutions throughout her career. She delivered the Harvard University Class Day address in 2010, reflecting her standing in the fields of journalism and public affairs. She has been elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honor reserved for individuals who have made distinguished contributions to their fields.

Career

Early Career at CNN

Amanpour joined CNN shortly after completing her university education, beginning her career at the network in the early 1980s. She started in entry-level positions, working her way up through the ranks of the fledgling cable news network, which was itself still establishing its identity and global reach during this period. Her early assignments allowed her to develop her skills in international reporting and gain experience working in the field.

Her career trajectory at CNN accelerated during the Gulf War of 1990–1991, a conflict that proved to be a defining moment both for the network and for Amanpour personally. CNN's round-the-clock coverage of the Gulf War brought the network to international prominence, and Amanpour's reporting from the region helped establish her reputation as a correspondent willing to place herself in dangerous situations to cover stories of global significance. The Gulf War marked the beginning of CNN's emergence as a dominant force in global television news, and Amanpour was among the correspondents who defined the network's approach to international coverage.

War Correspondence and International Reporting

Following her Gulf War coverage, Amanpour became CNN's chief international correspondent, a role in which she reported from conflict zones and crisis areas around the world. Her coverage of the Bosnian War (1992–1995) was among the most significant work of her career. Amanpour's reporting from Sarajevo and other locations in the former Yugoslavia brought the suffering of civilians in the conflict to the attention of international audiences. Her willingness to challenge political leaders and hold them accountable for the humanitarian consequences of the war became a hallmark of her journalistic approach.

Amanpour reported extensively from Somalia, Rwanda, and other sites of humanitarian crisis during the 1990s. She covered the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and reported on conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and numerous other regions. Her reporting consistently focused on the human dimensions of conflict, giving voice to civilians caught in the crossfire of geopolitical disputes. This approach earned her both acclaim from viewers and recognition from journalism organizations.

Throughout the late 1990s and into the 2000s, Amanpour continued to serve as one of CNN's most prominent correspondents. She reported on the September 11 attacks and their aftermath, the war in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Her interviews with world leaders, including heads of state, military commanders, and political figures, became a signature element of her work. She was known for her direct questioning style and her refusal to accept evasive answers from those in positions of power.

Amanpour delivered a notable address at the Edward R. Murrow Awards ceremony, in which she discussed the responsibilities of journalism and the importance of bearing witness to events of global consequence. She has spoken at the Harvard Kennedy School about the role of the press in democratic societies.

Move to ABC News and Return to CNN

In March 2010, it was announced that Amanpour would leave CNN to join ABC News, where she would become the anchor of the Sunday morning political program This Week with Christiane Amanpour. The appointment represented a significant career shift for Amanpour, moving from international correspondence to the domestic political landscape of American network television. The program, a staple of the American Sunday morning talk show lineup, required a different approach from the field reporting that had defined most of her career.

Amanpour's tenure at ABC News proved challenging in terms of ratings. The program experienced its lowest ratings since 2003 during her time as anchor, a development that was widely covered in media industry publications. The ratings decline prompted discussion about whether Amanpour's strengths as an international correspondent translated to the format and audience expectations of a domestic political talk show.

Amanpour returned to CNN in early 2012, resuming her role as the network's chief international correspondent and launching a new program, Amanpour, on CNN International. Her return to CNN was viewed as a natural fit, reuniting her with the network where she had built her reputation and allowing her to return to the international affairs programming at which she excelled.

CNN International and PBS

Since her return to CNN, Amanpour has served as the network's Chief International Anchor, hosting the nightly interview program Amanpour on CNN International. The program features in-depth interviews with world leaders, policymakers, artists, and other prominent figures on topics spanning international politics, culture, human rights, and global affairs. In addition, she hosts The Amanpour Hour on CNN's Saturday schedule.

Amanpour also hosts Amanpour & Company on PBS, a program that expanded the reach of her interview format to American public television audiences. The PBS program, which grew out of her CNN International show, features extended conversations and panel discussions on global issues, bringing international perspectives to the American public broadcasting audience.

In February 2026, Amanpour's program featured a range of high-profile interviews reflecting her continued engagement with major international events and figures. She interviewed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about transatlantic challenges. She also moderated a townhall with exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who called for international intervention against the Iranian government. She spoke with journalist Emily Maitlis about the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. She also interviewed actors Denise Gough and Billy Crudup about their West End production of High Noon and the politics of art.

Board Memberships and Institutional Roles

Beyond her work as a journalist and television host, Amanpour has held positions on the boards of several prominent journalism and media organizations. She has served on the board of directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the rights of journalists. She has also been affiliated with the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF), an organization dedicated to strengthening the role of women in news media around the world.

These institutional affiliations reflect Amanpour's engagement with the broader journalism community beyond her own reporting and broadcasting work, particularly in areas related to press freedom and the safety of journalists in conflict zones.

Personal Life

Amanpour was married to James Rubin, an American diplomat who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs under President Bill Clinton. The couple have one child together. Amanpour and Rubin later divorced, though they have continued a professional relationship; as of 2025, they co-host the program Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files on Global.

In June 2021, Amanpour publicly disclosed that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She shared the news with her television audience, stating that she wished to be transparent about her health and to encourage other women to seek early diagnosis and treatment. In February 2026, Amanpour revealed that her ovarian cancer had returned, disclosing the recurrence in a public statement. Her openness about her cancer diagnosis and treatment has been noted for contributing to public awareness of ovarian cancer.

Amanpour holds both British and Iranian heritage, having been born in England to an Iranian father and a British mother. Her dual cultural background has been a recurring theme in discussions of her career and perspective as a journalist. She spent her early years in both England and Iran before the Iranian Revolution forced her family to leave Iran.

Recognition

Amanpour has received numerous awards and honors over the course of her career, reflecting her contributions to international journalism and broadcast news. She has won multiple Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, and other major journalism prizes for her reporting from conflict zones and her interview programs.

She has been recognized by the International Women's Media Foundation with the Courage in Journalism Award, which honors women journalists who have demonstrated extraordinary strength of character and integrity in their reporting.

Amanpour received the Paul White Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), one of the most significant honors in electronic journalism. The award, named after the first news director of CBS, recognizes an individual's lifetime contribution to electronic journalism.

She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, joining a fellowship that has included many of the most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, and public figures in American history.

Amanpour has been invited to deliver addresses at major universities and institutions, including the Class Day speech at Harvard University in 2010. She has also been recognized by the Harvard Kennedy School for her contributions to journalism and public discourse.

Legacy

Amanpour's career at CNN and in international television journalism has spanned more than four decades, during which she has reported from virtually every major conflict zone and crisis area in the world. Her coverage of the Bosnian War in the 1990s is frequently cited as among the most impactful war reporting of the television era, and her willingness to confront political leaders directly during interviews established a model for accountability journalism in international broadcasting.

Her career has coincided with and contributed to the development of CNN as a global news network. Amanpour was among the correspondents whose work during the Gulf War helped transform CNN from a domestic cable news channel into an international media institution. Her subsequent reporting from Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iraq, and numerous other locations reinforced the network's identity as a provider of on-the-ground international news coverage.

Amanpour's influence extends beyond her own reporting to her role as a mentor and model for subsequent generations of international correspondents. Her presence on the boards of organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Women's Media Foundation reflects her engagement with systemic issues affecting journalism, including press freedom, the safety of reporters in conflict zones, and the representation of women in news media.

Her decision to speak publicly about her ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2021, and again upon the cancer's recurrence in 2026, has been recognized for its contribution to public health awareness. By sharing her personal health struggles with her audience, Amanpour used her platform to encourage early detection and open conversation about cancer, extending her public role beyond journalism into health advocacy.

As of 2026, Amanpour continues to serve as CNN's Chief International Anchor and to host programs on both CNN and PBS, maintaining an active schedule of interviews with world leaders and prominent figures in politics, culture, and the arts. Her ongoing work reflects a career defined by sustained engagement with international affairs and a commitment to in-depth, interview-based journalism.