Christiane Amanpour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christiane Amanpour CBE
Amanpour in 2008
Born	Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour (1958-01-12) 12 January 1958 (age 67) London, England
Education	University of Rhode Island (BA)
Occupation	Journalist television host
Employer	CNN, PBS
Notable credit(s)	Amanpour (CNN International) Anchor (2009‍–‍2010, 2012‍–‍present) Amanpour & Company (PBS) Anchor (2018‍–‍present) This Week (ABC) Anchor (2010‍–‍2011) 60 Minutes (CBS) Reporter (1996‍–‍2005)
Spouse(s)	James Rubin ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2018)​
Children	1

Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour (born January 12, 1958) is a famous British-Iranian journalist and TV host. She is known for her brave reporting from many conflict areas around the world. Christiane Amanpour is the Chief International Anchor for CNN. She also hosts Amanpour on CNN International and Amanpour & Company on PBS. She has interviewed many important world leaders and famous people.

Early Life and School

Christiane Amanpour was born in London, England. Her father was Iranian and her mother was British. She grew up in Tehran, Iran, until she was eleven years old. Then, she moved to England to go to boarding school.

After finishing school in England, Christiane went back to Iran. Her family later moved to the United States in 1979 because of the Iran Revolution. She decided to study journalism at the University of Rhode Island. While in college, she worked at a radio station and as a graphics designer for a TV station.

In 1983, Christiane graduated from college with a high honors degree in journalism. Later, in 2007, she was given a special award called Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her excellent work in journalism.

Her Career in Journalism

Starting at CNN (1983–2010)

Christiane Amanpour started working at CNN in 1983. She began as a desk assistant, helping with foreign news. Her first big assignment was covering the Iran–Iraq War. She then reported on the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. By 1990, she was a correspondent in New York.

Christiane became widely known for her reports during the Gulf War in 1990. She also reported from the Bosnian war and other dangerous places. People noticed how brave she was reporting from these conflict zones. Some people wondered if her reports were fair because she showed a lot of emotion. She explained that in situations like genocide, it's hard to be completely neutral. She believed her job was to tell the truth and give everyone a chance to speak.

From 1992 to 2010, Christiane was CNN's chief international correspondent. She reported on major crises from many places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and the Balkans. She also covered events in the United States, like Hurricane Katrina. She interviewed many world leaders, including presidents from Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria. After the 9/11 attacks, she was one of the first international reporters to interview leaders like British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Working at ABC News (2010–2012)

In 2010, Christiane Amanpour moved to ABC News to host a show called This Week. She was very excited about this new role. During her time there, she interviewed important figures like Muammar Gaddafi. In 2011, ABC announced that Christiane would return to CNN International, but she would also continue to report for ABC News.

Back to CNN (2012–Present)

Christiane Amanpour with former U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry in Vienna, Austria in 2015.

In 2012, Christiane Amanpour returned to CNN International. Her interview show, Amanpour, started airing again. In 2013, the show moved to CNN's London office, where it is still produced today.

In 2019, Christiane Amanpour and others gave the Fulbright Prize for International Understanding to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Christiane Amanpour interviewing Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in 2019.

In September 2022, Christiane Amanpour was scheduled to interview the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, in New York City. However, she canceled the interview because she was asked at the last minute to wear a headscarf while filming. Christiane said she had never been asked to do this by any Iranian president outside of Iran before.

Working with PBS

In 2018, it was announced that Christiane Amanpour would take over for Charlie Rose on PBS. Her new show, Amanpour & Company, started in September 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she hosted her show from her home in England. Her program is still shown on many PBS stations across the United States.

In April 2023, Christiane Amanpour made a mistake while reporting on a tragic event in Israel. She quickly apologized to the family involved and on her show for her error.

Other Activities

Christiane Amanpour is part of several important groups that work to protect journalists and promote freedom of speech. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the board of directors for the Committee to Protect Journalists. Since 2015, she has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and journalist safety.

Personal Life

The Church of Saint Stephen the Martyr (1427), where Christiane Amanpour and James Phillip Rubin had their Catholic wedding in 1998 in Bracciano, Italy.

In 1998, Christiane Amanpour married James Rubin, who was a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State. They had one son, born in 2000. They lived in London for many years before moving to New York City in 2010. In 2013, they moved back to London permanently. In July 2018, Christiane and James announced that they were divorcing.

In June 2021, Christiane Amanpour shared that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had successful surgery and underwent chemotherapy.

Film and TV Appearances

Christiane Amanpour has appeared as herself in a few movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

Radio

Awards and Honors

Christiane Amanpour has received many awards for her journalism. These include:

See also

In Spanish: Christiane Amanpour para niños