Former BBC LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte joins CNN
Ben Hunte has joined CNN (CNN)
Award-winning investigative journalist and former BBC LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte has joined CNN as an anchor and correspondent.
Hunte, who became the BBC’s first official LGBT correspondent in 2019, most recently worked for Vice News in London, covering stories such as the bullying of trans pupils at school, senior officials quitting the Equality and Human Rights Commission over transphobia, and leaked WhatsApp messages from former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.
Now, Hunte will host CNN Newsroom at weekends as well as working across the network, particularly focusing on social justice and LGBTQ+ issues.
Hunte took top spot in the UK’s Pride Power List in 2020, was named among Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 in 2022, has twice been an Emmy Award finalist and picked up the Out d’Or prize in France last year.
Meara Erdozain, a senior vice-president of programming at CNN International, said: “Ben embodies so much of what we want to do. He’s a dynamic, exciting talent with proven multi-platform skills and a hard-earned reputation for delivering impactful reporting.
“Whether in the field or in the studio, he will bring a new dimension to our content and our journalism.”
Hunte expressed excitement at joining CNN’s network in Atlanta, Georgia. “The studios, facilities, technology and talent here are all exceptional, but I’m also looking forward to the stories I’ll be able to tell for audiences around the world,” he said.
“I am passionate about LGBTQ issues and I’m looking forward to picking those important stories up again with the backing of an organisation like CNN.”
Hunte has an undergraduate degree in cognitive neuroscience from the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, and studied for a master’s degree in journalism at City, University of London.
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