Ben Hunte

{{Infobox person

| name = Ben Hunte

| image = Ben Hunte - CNN Anchor in London.jpg

| caption = CNN Anchor Ben Hunte in 2025

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|10|22|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| education = University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (BSc)
City, University of London (MA)

| occupation = Anchor and Correspondent

| website = {{URL|http://benhunte.com}}

}}

Ben Hunte (born 22 October 1992) is a British journalist, news presenter and correspondent at CNN.{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/profiles/ben-hunte|title=Ben Hunte - Anchor & Correspondent|website=cnn.com|access-date=2024-12-21}} He previously worked for Vice News as a global correspondent{{Cite web |title=Ben Hunte - contributor page |url=https://www.vice.com/en/contributor/ben-hunte/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241228212011/https://www.vice.com/en/contributor/ben-hunte/ |archive-date=2024-12-28 |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Vice.com|date=9 February 2024 }} and for the BBC as the broadcaster's first LGBT correspondent{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/ben-hunte-lgbt-bbc-a4107971.html|title=The BBC's first LGBT correspondent|date=2019-04-03|website=Evening Standard|access-date=2019-05-15}} and a West Africa correspondent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cl1gj7nz0l0t/|title=Ben Hunte, West Africa correspondent|website=BBC.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908221356/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cl1gj7nz0l0t/|access-date=2021-09-08|archive-date=2021-09-08}}

In May 2022, Hunte was listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.{{Cite web |title=Ben Hunte |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/ben-hunte/ |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Early life and education

Hunte was born in London to Caribbean parents.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/ben-hunte-lgbt-bbc-a4107971.html|title=BBC's first LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte: 'I've never felt lonelier than in those few weeks after being outed as a gay man'|journal=Evening Standard|first=Paul|last=Flynn|date=4 April 2019|access-date=26 February 2021}} He studied at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus on an all-expenses-paid scholarship, graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience. During his time there, he became president of the Students' Association and was co-founding editor of the student magazine Ignite.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nottingham.edu.my/Alumni/News/2019/Ben-Hunte-received-a-2019-Recent-Graduate-Award-at-Alumni-Laureate-Award-in-the-UK.aspx|title=Ben Hunte received a 2019 Recent Graduate Award at Alumni Laureate Award in the UK|website=University of Nottingham|date=20 December 2019|access-date=26 February 2021}}

He later graduated with a Master of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from City, University of London, which he also attended on a full scholarship. Hunte has since received an Alumni Laureate Award from the University of Nottingham, and an XCity Award from City University.{{Cite web|url=https://xcityplus.com/news/7440/xcity-award-shortlist-ben-hunte-lgbt/|title=XCity Award shortlist: Ben Hunte|website=XCity Plus|first=Kate|last=O'Gorman|access-date=26 February 2021|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120214828/https://xcityplus.com/news/7440/xcity-award-shortlist-ben-hunte-lgbt/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/ben-hunte|title=Ben Hunte announced as the first LGBT Correspondent for BBC News|website=BBC Media Centre|date=13 December 2018|access-date=26 February 2021}}

Career

While working in strategy at Google, Hunte started a YouTube channel and social media presence.{{Cite news|date=2018-02-13|title=Did couple vlogging on YouTube ruin my relationship?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-43034142|access-date=2021-10-07}} After hitting 50,000 subscribers he left Google to become a full-time influencer and trained to be a journalist. Starting at BBC News as an intern, Hunte went on to be a news anchor for BBC News Africa and hosted What's New?, the BBC's first programme and digital service for children.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-46551099|title=BBC News names first LGBT correspondent|date=2018-12-13|access-date=2019-06-02}} In 2019, Hunte became the BBC's first official LGBT correspondent,{{Cite news|last=Moore|first=Matthew|date=2018-12-14|title=First LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte to boost BBC's youth appeal|work=The Times|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/first-lgbt-correspondent-ben-hunte-to-boost-broadcaster-s-youth-appeal-wkq6qhmzf|access-date=2019-06-02|issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web|last=Mayhew|first=Freddy|date=2018-12-13|title=BBC News appoints its first LGBT correspondent who says new role is 'dream come true'|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/bbc-news-appoints-first-ever-lgbt-correspondent-who-says-new-role-is-dream-come-true/|url-status=live|access-date=2019-06-02|website=Press Gazette|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181213235204/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/bbc-news-appoints-first-ever-lgbt-correspondent-who-says-new-role-is-dream-come-true/ |archive-date=2018-12-13 }} reporting for all BBC and BBC News platforms.

In 2020, Hunte took the top spot in The Guardian and Diva magazine's Pride Power List.{{Cite web |title=Ben Hunte - Pride Power List |date=3 July 2020 |url=https://www.pridepowerlist.com/post/pride-power-list-2020-11-100 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715063221/https://www.pridepowerlist.com/the-list-2020.html |archive-date=2020-07-15}} Hunte was also awarded Journalist of the Year by One Young World,{{Cite web|title=Ben Hunte - One Young World Awards|url=https://www.oneyoungworld.com/one-young-world-journalist-year-award-2020-winners-announced|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716221414/https://www.oneyoungworld.com/one-young-world-journalist-year-award-2020-winners-announced |archive-date=2020-07-16 }} and was a finalist for Specialist Journalist of the Year at the British Journalism Awards,{{Cite web|date=2020-11-13|title=British Journalism Awards 2020 shortlist announced|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/the-best-journalism-of-2020-revealed-british-journalism-awards-shortlist/|access-date=2021-10-07|website=Press Gazette|language=en-US}} as well as Young Talent of the Year at the Royal Television Society Awards.{{Cite web|title=Ben Hunte - Royal Television Society Awards|date=26 February 2020|url=https://rts.org.uk/article/winners-rts-television-journalism-awards-2020-announced|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227155445/https://rts.org.uk/article/winners-rts-television-journalism-awards-2020-announced |archive-date=2020-02-27 }} He then took on the role of the network's West Africa correspondent in March 2021, reporting from across the continent, in places such as Dakar, Senegal.{{Cite web|url=https://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-first-lgbt-correspondent-ben-hunte-to-leave-role-after-two-years/24643/|title=BBC NEWS BEN HUNTE TO LEAVE ROLE AFTER TWO YEARS|date=2021-11-03|website=attitude.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908230947/https://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-first-lgbt-correspondent-ben-hunte-to-leave-role-after-two-years/24643/|access-date=2021-09-08|archive-date=2021-09-08}}

After working with the BBC for five years, Hunte announced his departure in September 2021 to join Vice News as a Senior Reporter.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-06|title=BBC journalists Ben Hunte and Sophia Smith Galer join Vice World News|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/bbc-journalists-ben-hunte-and-sophia-smith-galer-join-vice-world-news/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-08|website=Press Gazette|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906145027/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/bbc-journalists-ben-hunte-and-sophia-smith-galer-join-vice-world-news/ |archive-date=2021-09-06 }} In May 2022, Ben Hunte was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for media and marketing.

In January 2023, Hunte was promoted to Global Correspondent for VICE News, specialising in LGBTQ lives and human rights. {{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/xcitymag/docs/xcity_magazine_2023_-_issuu | title=XCITY (2023) - by City, University of London's Journalism Department by Jason Bennetto - Issuu | date=4 May 2023 }}

In June 2023, he received the Foreign Press Award at the Out d'Or ceremony organized by the French Association of LGBTI Journalists for two investigative articles written for Vice News about transphobia in the EHRC.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Les lauréat·e·s 2023 |url=https://2023.outdor.fr/les-laureates-et-laureats/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=OUT d'or 2023 |language=fr-FR}}

As at October, 2024, he is an anchor and correspondent at CNN,{{Cite web|url=https://commercial.cnn.com/latest-news/press/ben-hunte-joins-cnn-as-international-anchor-correspondent/|title=Ben Hunte joins CNN as International Anchor & Correspondent |website=cnn.com|date=24 October 2024 |access-date=2024-12-21}} working out of its Atlanta and London offices.

Personal life

Hunte has talked extensively about life as a Black gay man and the abuse he receives being in the public eye,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/118943/bbcs-lgbtq-correspondent-reveals-level-of-homophobic-abuse-he-receives/|title=BBC's LGBTQ correspondent reveals level of homophobic abuse he receives|date=2019-02-24|website=Gay Times|access-date=2019-06-01}}{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/24/bbc-presenter-ben-hunte-reveals-homophobic-racist-trolls-target-job-8727693/|title=BBC Presenter Ben Hunte reveals homophobic and racist trolls target him|date=2019-02-24|website=Metro|access-date=2019-06-01}} as well as his experiences of sexual abuse.{{Cite web|url=http://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-reporter-ben-hunte-opens-up-about-surviving-childhood-sexual-abuse/20918/|title=BBC News reporter Ben Hunte opens up about surviving childhood sexual abuse|date=2019-05-10|website=Attitude.co.uk|access-date=2019-06-01|archive-date=15 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515213906/https://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-reporter-ben-hunte-opens-up-about-surviving-childhood-sexual-abuse/20918/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/to-confront-stigma-bbcs-ben-hunte-opens-up-about-childhood-abuse-trauma/|title=To confront stigma, BBC's Ben Hunte opens up about childhood abuse trauma|date=2019-05-09|website=Gay Star News|access-date=2019-06-01|archive-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531150355/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/to-confront-stigma-bbcs-ben-hunte-opens-up-about-childhood-abuse-trauma/|url-status=dead}}

He appeared on the cover of Attitude{{'s}} 25th anniversary edition in March 2019,{{Cite web|url=http://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-first-ever-lgbt-correspondent-ben-hunte-on-how-hes-bringing-queer-issues-to-the-masses/20614/|title=BBC News' first ever LGBT Correspondent Ben Hunte on how he's bringing queer issues to the masses|date=2019-03-28|website=Attitude.co.uk|access-date=2019-06-01|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601144121/https://attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-news-first-ever-lgbt-correspondent-ben-hunte-on-how-hes-bringing-queer-issues-to-the-masses/20614/|url-status=dead}} and in the Evening Standard{{'s}} ES Magazine.{{Cite web|last=Flynn|first=Paul|date=2019-04-04|title=Ben Hunte is the BBC's first LGBT correspondent|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/ben-hunte-lgbt-bbc-a4107971.html|access-date=2021-10-07|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}}