Matthew Chance is a senior international correspondent for CNN, currently based in London. He has reported extensively on major global events, with a focus on the Middle East, Europe, Russia, the Far East, and Afghanistan. In 2011, he was among the group of journalists briefly detained during the conflict in Libya by forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi at the Rixos al Nasr Hotel in Tripoli.
Born in 1970, Matthew Chance is a British national raised in the English Midlands. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Archaeology and Art from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. His academic background laid the foundation for his analytical approach to international journalism.
Chance began his journalism career with the BBC World Service, where he worked as a broadcast journalist. From 1996 to 2001, he transitioned into freelance journalism, reporting from locations such as Bangkok, Sri Lanka, and London. In 2001, he joined CNN, marking the start of a long-standing career with the network.
He became CNN’s senior international correspondent based in London after replacing Steve Harrigan, who left CNN for Fox News while reporting from Northern Afghanistan. Over the course of more than two decades at CNN, Chance has contributed significantly to international news coverage from high-risk zones.
Matthew Chance was one of the first international reporters to cover the Northern Alliance's capture of Kabul in 2001. He reported extensively on the collapse of Taliban rule and the evolving dynamics in post-conflict Afghanistan. His notable assignments include coverage of the 2008 Russia–Georgia war, the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008—including the siege of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel—London’s 2005 bombings, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Chance also reported on the 2004 Beslan school siege in Russia, the 2002 hostage crisis at Moscow's Dubrovka Theater, and provided ongoing analysis of the conflicts in Iraq and between Israel and Palestine. His in-depth reporting from volatile regions has enhanced CNN's international news coverage and journalistic reputation.
Before relocating to CNN's London bureau, Chance spent six years based in Moscow, where he covered crucial developments in Russian politics and society. He was among the first Western correspondents based in Moscow to interview Vladimir Putin during his tenure as Russian president.
In August 2011, during the Libyan uprising, Chance was detained alongside other international journalists by pro-Gaddafi forces in Tripoli. Throughout his captivity at the Rixos al Nasr Hotel, he used Twitter to communicate updates. The group was eventually rescued by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Chance provided live coverage of the events following his release.
Matthew Chance has received multiple accolades for his work. He was honored with a Peabody Award for his reporting on the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah conflict and received an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for his coverage of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. His reporting continues to serve as a vital source of information and insight into global affairs.
Chance is married and has a daughter, Anna Chance. He maintains a relatively private personal life while continuing to travel frequently for major international assignments.
| Birth Date: | 1 Jan, 1970 |
| Age: | 50 yrs |
| Occupations: | Journalist |
| Education: | University of London |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | British journalist |
| Twitter Id: | MChanceCNN |
| Net Worth 2021: | 4 million |
