History of Christiane Amanpour in Timeline

Christiane Amanpour is a prominent British-Iranian journalist and television host, currently serving as the Chief International Anchor for CNN. She hosts several programs, including CNN International's nightly interview program "Amanpour," "The Amanpour Hour" on CNN, and "Amanpour & Company" on PBS. Additionally, she co-hosts "Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex-Files" with her former husband. Known for her fearless reporting and in-depth interviews with global leaders, Amanpour has established herself as a leading voice in international news.

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, currently serving as the Chief International Anchor for CNN.

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1979: Family moved to the United States

In 1979, Christiane Amanpour's family moved to the United States due to the Iran Revolution. Her father, who worked for Iran Air, lost his job and fortune. 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 Christiane Amanpour through the Jahanbani family, 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 start of her career with the news network.

1986: Served as CNN Correspondent in New York

By 1986, Christiane Amanpour served as a correspondent for CNN's New York bureau. During her early years, she covered the Iran-Iraq War and later reported on the fall of European communism.

1989: Assigned to Frankfurt am Main

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

1990: Reports of Persian Gulf War

In 1990, Christiane Amanpour's reports on the Persian Gulf War following Iraq's occupation of Kuwait brought her wide notice, marking a significant moment in her career.

1992: CNN's Chief International Correspondent

From 1992, Christiane Amanpour served as CNN's Chief International Correspondent, a role she held until 2010, covering major global crises and interviewing world leaders.

1993: Peabody Award

In 1993, Christiane Amanpour won a Peabody Award for her work as a journalist.

October 1994: Criticism of Bosnian War Coverage

In October 1994, Stephen Kinzer of The New York Times criticized Christiane Amanpour's coverage of the Bosnian War, quoting a colleague's description of her reporting on a terrorist bombing in Sarajevo.

1995: Never asked to wear head scarf by Iranian president

Since 1995, Christiane Amanpour has never been asked to wear a head scarf by any Iranian president—either inside or outside of Iran—until the incident with Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in New York City during the seventy-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly.

1996: Contracted by 60 Minutes

In 1996, Christiane Amanpour was contracted by Don Hewitt, creator of 60 Minutes, to file four to five in-depth international news reports per year as a special contributor.

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August 1998: Marriage to James Rubin

On 9 August 1998, Christiane Amanpour married James Rubin at the Roman Catholic parish of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr in Bracciano, Italy.

1998: Peabody Award

In 1998, Christiane Amanpour won a Peabody Award for her reports made for 60 minutes. She had earlier been awarded one in 1993.

March 2000: Birth of Son, John Darius Rubin

On 27 March 2000, Christiane Amanpour and James Rubin's son, John Darius Rubin, was born in Columbia Hospital for Women.

2003: Lowest Ratings Since 2003

During her first two months as host, the ratings for This Week reached their lowest point since 2003.

2005: Contract with 60 Minutes terminated

In 2005, Jeff Fager, Don Hewitt's successor, terminated Christiane Amanpour's contract with 60 Minutes.

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July 2009: Harper's Bazaar Feature

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 'Amanpour'

From 2009 to 2010, Christiane Amanpour was the anchor of 'Amanpour', a daily CNN interview program.

March 2010: Announcement of Joining ABC News

On 18 March 2010, Christiane Amanpour announced she would leave CNN for ABC News, where she would anchor This Week. She expressed excitement about joining the team and respect for CNN.

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August 2010: First Broadcast on ABC's 'This Week'

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

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2010: Move to New York City

In 2010, Christiane Amanpour and her family moved 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 ended her tenure as CNN's Chief International Correspondent, after which she would join ABC News. During her time at CNN she covered events such as Hurricane Katrina and interviewed numerous world leaders.

February 2011: Interview with Muammar Gaddafi

In February 2011, Christiane Amanpour interviewed Muammar Gaddafi and his sons Saif al-Islam and Al-Saadi Gaddafi, marking a notable interview during her time with ABC News.

December 2011: Departure from 'This Week' Announced

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

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December 2011: Announcement of 'Unique Arrangement' with CNN International

On 14 December 2011, a day after the announcement that Christiane Amanpour would be leaving her post as anchor of ABC News' This Week, ABC and CNN announced a "unique arrangement" where Amanpour would begin hosting a program on CNN International in 2012 while continuing at ABC News as a global affairs anchor.

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January 2012: Departure from 'This Week'

On 8 January 2012, Christiane Amanpour left her post as anchor of ABC News' This Week, and returned to CNN International, where she had previously worked for 27 years.

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2012: Hosting program on CNN International

In 2012, Christiane Amanpour began hosting a program on CNN International while continuing at ABC News as a global affairs anchor.

2012: CNN International Refreshed Line-Up

In the spring of 2012, CNN International refreshed its line-up, putting the interview show Amanpour back on air. She returned to CNN International on 16 April.

May 2013: Family to return to London

In May 2013, James Rubin announced that the family would return to London to work on several projects.

September 2013: Move to CNN International Office in London

On 9 September 2013, Christiane Amanpour's show and staff were moved to the CNN International office, and the show has been produced and broadcast from London since then.

January 2015: Controversial Terminology on CNN

On 7 January 2015, Christiane Amanpour referred to the Islamic extremists who murdered the 12 journalists at Charlie Hebdo as "activists" during a "Breaking News" segment on CNN, drawing criticism for her choice of words.

April 2015: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

Since April 2015, Christiane Amanpour has served as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and journalist safety.

May 2018: Replacement of Charlie Rose on PBS

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

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September 2018: Premiere of Amanpour & Company on PBS

On 10 September 2018, Christiane Amanpour's new program, Amanpour & Company, premiered on PBS.

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2018: Divorce Announcement

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

January 2019: Fulbright Prize for International Understanding

On 28 January 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' participation as combatants in the Bosnian War, where they were disguised as staff of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

November 2020: Comparison of Trump Administration to Nazis

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

2020: Hosting 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.

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June 2021: Diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer

In June 2021, Christiane Amanpour announced she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, had "major successful surgery to remove it", and would undergo several months of chemotherapy.

September 2022: Interview termination with Ebrahim Raisi

In September 2022, Christiane Amanpour terminated a scheduled TV interview with former 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.

February 2024: Confrontation over coverage of Israel's war in Gaza

In February 2024, Christiane Amanpour and other CNN employees confronted network executives over perceived double standards in the coverage of Israel's war in Gaza.