Ben Hunte

Ben Hunte[1] (born 18 October 1991) is a British investigative journalist, presenter and senior reporter at Vice News.[2] He previously worked for the BBC and was the broadcaster's first LGBT correspondent. He went on to be the BBC's West Africa correspondent.[3]

Ben Hunte
Born (1991-10-18) 18 October 1991
London
EducationUniversity of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (BSc)
City, University of London (MA)
OccupationVice News Senior Reporter
Websitebenhunte.com

In May 2022, Ben Hunte was listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.[4]

Early life and education

Hunte was born in London to Caribbean parents.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7][8]

Career

While working in strategy at Google, Hunte started a YouTube channel and social media presence.[9] 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.[10]

In 2019, Hunte became the BBC's first official LGBT correspondent,[11][12] 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.[13] Hunte was also awarded "Journalist of the Year" by One Young World,[14] and was a finalist for Specialist Journalist of the Year at the British Journalism Awards,[15] as well as Young Talent of the Year at the Royal Television Society Awards.[16]

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.[17]

After working with the BBC for five years, Hunte announced his departure in September 2021 to join Vice News as a Senior Reporter.[18]

In May 2022, Ben Hunte was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for media and marketing.[4]

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.[19]

Personal life

Hunte has talked extensively about life as a Black gay man and the abuse he receives being in the public eye,[20][21] as well as his experiences of sexual abuse.[22][23]

He appeared on the cover of Attitude's 25th anniversary edition in March 2019,[24] and in the Evening Standard's ES Magazine.[25]

References
  1. "Ben Hunte is the BBC's first LGBT correspondent". Evening Standard. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  2. "Ben Hunte - contributor page". Vice.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  3. "Ben Hunte, West Africa correspondent". BBC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  4. "Ben Hunte". Forbes. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  5. Flynn, Paul (4 April 2019). "BBC's first LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte: 'I've never felt lonelier than in those few weeks after being outed as a gay man'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  6. "Ben Hunte received a 2019 Recent Graduate Award at Alumni Laureate Award in the UK". University of Nottingham. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  7. O'Gorman, Kate. "XCity Award shortlist: Ben Hunte". XCity Plus. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  8. "Ben Hunte announced as the first LGBT Correspondent for BBC News". BBC Media Centre. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  9. "Did couple vlogging on YouTube ruin my relationship?". BBC News. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  10. "BBC News names first LGBT correspondent". 13 December 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  11. Moore, Matthew (14 December 2018). "First LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte to boost BBC's youth appeal". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  12. Mayhew, Freddy (13 December 2018). "BBC News appoints its first LGBT correspondent who says new role is 'dream come true'". Press Gazette. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  13. "Ben Hunte - Pride Power List". Archived from the original on 15 July 2020.
  14. "Ben Hunte - One Young World Awards". Archived from the original on 16 July 2020.
  15. "British Journalism Awards 2020 shortlist announced". Press Gazette. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  16. "Ben Hunte - Royal Television Society Awards". 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020.
  17. "BBC NEWS BEN HUNTE TO LEAVE ROLE AFTER TWO YEARS". attitude.co.uk. 3 November 2021. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  18. "BBC journalists Ben Hunte and Sophia Smith Galer join Vice World News". Press Gazette. 6 September 2021. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  19. "Les lauréat·e·s 2023". OUT d'or 2023 (in French). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  20. "BBC's LGBTQ correspondent reveals level of homophobic abuse he receives". Gay Times. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  21. "BBC Presenter Ben Hunte reveals homophobic and racist trolls target him". Metro. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  22. "BBC News reporter Ben Hunte opens up about surviving childhood sexual abuse". Attitude.co.uk. 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  23. "To confront stigma, BBC's Ben Hunte opens up about childhood abuse trauma". Gay Star News. 9 May 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  24. "BBC News' first ever LGBT Correspondent Ben Hunte on how he's bringing queer issues to the masses". Attitude.co.uk. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  25. Flynn, Paul (4 April 2019). "Ben Hunte is the BBC's first LGBT correspondent". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  1. "BBC NEWS Press Team - We'll be recruiting for a new LGBT correspondent shortly". twitter.co.uk. 6 September 2021. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
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