History of Christiane Amanpour in Timeline

Christiane Amanpour is a prominent British-Iranian journalist and television host. She currently serves as the Chief International Anchor for CNN and hosts several interview programs, including CNN International's 'Amanpour,' CNN's 'The Amanpour Hour,' and 'Amanpour & Company' on PBS. Additionally, she co-hosts 'Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files' with her ex-husband, James Rubin, highlighting her extensive career in international news and broadcast journalism.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

January 1958: Christiane Amanpour Born

In January 1958, Christiane Maria Heideh Amanpour was born. She is a British-Iranian journalist and television host who serves as the Chief International Anchor for CNN.

Others born on this day/year

1979: Family Moves to the United States

In 1979, Christiane Amanpour's family moved to the United States due to the Iran Revolution, where she later studied journalism at the University of Rhode Island.

1979: Execution of Nader Jahanbani

In 1979, Commander–General Nader Jahanbani of the Imperial Iranian Air Force, a relative by marriage to Amanpour, was executed by the Islamic Revolutionaries.

1983: Graduation from University

In 1983, Christiane Amanpour graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Rhode Island.

1983: Hired by CNN

In 1983, Christiane Amanpour was hired by CNN as an entry-level desk assistant in Atlanta, Georgia, marking the beginning of her career in international journalism.

1986: Transfer to Eastern Europe

In 1986, Christiane Amanpour was transferred to Eastern Europe to report on the fall of European communism, expanding her role as a correspondent.

1989: Assigned to Frankfurt

In 1989, Christiane Amanpour was assigned to work in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany, where she reported on the democratic revolutions sweeping Eastern Europe at the time.

1990: Correspondent for CNN's New York Bureau

By 1990, Christiane Amanpour served as a correspondent for CNN's New York bureau, further establishing her presence in international news reporting.

1990: Reports on the Persian Gulf War

In 1990, Christiane Amanpour's reports on the Persian Gulf War following Iraq's occupation of Kuwait brought her wide recognition and established her as a prominent international correspondent.

1992: Chief International Correspondent for CNN

In 1992, Christiane Amanpour became CNN's chief international correspondent, a position she held until 2010, covering major global crises and securing interviews with world leaders.

1993: Peabody Award

In 1993, Christiane Amanpour was awarded a Peabody Award for her reporting.

October 1994: Criticism of Bosnian War coverage

In October 1994, Stephen Kinzer of The New York Times criticized Christiane Amanpour's general coverage of the Bosnian War.

1995: Interviews with Iranian Presidents since 1995

Since 1995, Christiane Amanpour has interviewed every Iranian president either inside or outside of Iran, and she has never been asked to wear a head scarf, until the incident in September 2022 with President Ebrahim Raisi.

1996: Contracted by 60 Minutes

In 1996, Christiane Amanpour was contracted by Don Hewitt, creator of 60 Minutes, to contribute in-depth international news reports, marking a role as special contributor.

August 1998: Marriage to James Rubin

On August 9, 1998, Christiane Amanpour married James Rubin at the Roman Catholic parish of Saint Stephen in Bracciano, Italy. He is a former United States Assistant Secretary of State and spokesman for the United States Department of State during the Presidency of Bill Clinton.

1998: Second Peabody Award

In 1998, Christiane Amanpour garnered her second Peabody Award for her international news reports as a special contributor to 60 Minutes.

March 2000: Birth of Son

On March 27, 2000, at the age of 41, Christiane Amanpour gave birth to her and James Rubin's only son in Columbia Hospital for Women.

2003: Lowest Ratings for 'This Week' since 2003

During Christiane Amanpour's first two months as host, the ratings for "This Week" reached their lowest point since 2003, indicating a challenging start to her tenure.

2005: End of 60 Minutes contract

In 2005, Christiane Amanpour's contract with 60 Minutes was terminated by Jeff Fager, ending her role as a special contributor.

October 2007: Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire

In October 2007, Christiane Amanpour was appointed to the grade of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her work in journalism.

July 2009: High-Fashion Makeover

In July 2009, Christiane Amanpour appeared in a Harper's Bazaar magazine article entitled "Christiane Amanpour Gets a High-Fashion Makeover".

2009: Anchor of CNN Interview Program

From 2009 to 2010, Christiane Amanpour was the anchor of "Amanpour", a daily CNN interview program, where she continued to report on global issues and interview prominent figures.

March 2010: Leaves CNN for ABC News

On March 18, 2010, Christiane Amanpour announced she would leave CNN for ABC News, where she would anchor This Week.

August 2010: First Broadcast on ABC's This Week

On August 1, 2010, Christiane Amanpour hosted her first broadcast on ABC's "This Week", marking her debut as the anchor of the program.

2010: Move to New York City

In 2010, Christiane Amanpour and James Rubin moved from London to New York City, renting an apartment in Manhattan's Upper West Side.

2010: End of Tenure as CNN's Chief International Correspondent

In 2010, Christiane Amanpour concluded her tenure as CNN's chief international correspondent, marking the end of a significant chapter in her career at the network.

February 2011: Interview with Muammar Gaddafi and Sons

In February 2011, Christiane Amanpour interviewed Muammar Gaddafi and his sons Saif al-Islam and Al-Saadi Gaddafi, securing a significant interview with the Libyan leader and his family.

December 2011: Leaves ABC News' This Week

On December 13, 2011, ABC announced that Christiane Amanpour would be leaving her post as anchor of ABC News' "This Week" on January 8, 2012.

December 2011: Arrangement to Host Program on CNN International

On December 14, 2011, it was announced that Christiane Amanpour would begin hosting a program on CNN International in 2012, while continuing at ABC News as a global affairs anchor, in a "unique arrangement".

January 2012: Returns to CNN International

On January 8, 2012, Christiane Amanpour officially left her role at ABC News' "This Week" and returned to CNN International, where she had previously worked for 27 years.

2012: Begins Hosting Program on CNN International

In 2012, Christiane Amanpour began hosting a program on CNN International while continuing her role at ABC News as a global affairs anchor, under a special agreement between the two networks.

2012: Return to CNN International Line-Up

In the spring of 2012, CNN International refreshed its line-up by putting the interview show "Amanpour" back on air. The show meant that Piers Morgan Tonight would be bumped out of its 9:00 p.m. CET slot.

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May 2013: Return to London

In May 2013, James Rubin announced that the family would return to London to work on several projects, marking a relocation back to the United Kingdom.

September 2013: Show Moved to London

On September 9, 2013, the show and staff for Christiane Amanpour's program were moved to the CNN International office in London, where the show is currently produced and broadcast.

January 2015: Controversial Comment on Charlie Hebdo Attack

On January 7, 2015, Christiane Amanpour faced criticism for referring to the Islamic extremists who murdered the 12 journalists at Charlie Hebdo as "activists" during a "Breaking News" segment on CNN.

April 2015: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

In April 2015 Christiane Amanpour became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and journalist safety.

May 2018: Replaces Charlie Rose on PBS

In May 2018, it was announced that Christiane Amanpour would permanently replace Charlie Rose on PBS after he was fired due to allegations of sexual misconduct.

September 2018: Premiere of Amanpour & Company on PBS

On September 10, 2018, Christiane Amanpour's new program, Amanpour & Company, premiered on PBS, marking her official start as the host of the show replacing Charlie Rose.

2018: Divorce Announcement

In 2018, Christiane Amanpour and James Rubin announced they were divorcing, ending their marriage.

January 2019: Fulbright Prize Presentation to Angela Merkel

On January 28, 2019, Christiane Amanpour, along with Mary Ellen Schmider and Manfred Philipp, presented the Fulbright Prize for International Understanding to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

April 2019: Qassemi claims Amanpour uncovered deception

In April 2019, Saeed Qassemi claimed that Christiane Amanpour had uncovered his and his comrades' deception regarding their participation as combatants in the Bosnian War disguised as staff of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

November 2020: Comparison of Trump Administration to Nazis

On November 12, 2020, Christiane Amanpour compared the Trump administration to the Nazis and Kristallnacht, which led to controversy and calls for an apology from the Israeli government and Jewish groups.

2020: Hosts Amanpour & Company from Home

In 2020, Christiane Amanpour hosted the PBS daily program Amanpour & Company from her home in England due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting to the challenges posed by the global health crisis.

June 2021: Amanpour Announces Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

In June 2021, Christiane Amanpour announced that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent successful surgery, followed by several months of chemotherapy.

September 2022: Terminated Interview with Iranian President

In September 2022, Christiane Amanpour terminated a scheduled TV interview with President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi in New York City during the seventy-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly, following a last–minute demand that she wear a Chador headscarf while filming.

April 2023: Misspoke About Israeli Shooting Victims

In April 2023, Christiane Amanpour misspoke and said that Israeli shooting victims Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee had been killed in a "shootout" instead of a "shooting," while the family was travelling in a car in the West Bank. Amanpour later apologized for the error.

February 2024: Confrontation over CNN's Coverage of Gaza War

In February 2024, Christiane Amanpour and other CNN employees confronted network executives over CNN's biased coverage of Israel's war in Gaza, expressing concerns about the network's reporting.

October 2025: Ovarian Cancer Returns

In October 2025, Amanpour revealed that her ovarian cancer had returned.

October 2025: Apology for Comments on Israeli Hostages

In October 2025, Christiane Amanpour issued an apology for comments she made regarding Israeli hostages recently released after over two years of captivity by Hamas, stating her original remarks were "insensitive and wrong."