James Longman Biography
James Longman is a British media personality who has served as a Foreign Correspondent for ABC News since 2017, based in London. Before joining ABC, Longman worked for the BBC as a Beirut correspondent and general news reporter.
James Longman Age
Longman is 37 years old as of August 2024. He was born on December 28, 1986, in London, England.
James Longman Height
Longman’s height is approximately 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm).
James Longman Nationality
He is British.
James Longman Education
Longman earned a degree in Arabic from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London and a master’s in comparative politics from the London School of Economics.
James Longman Parents
James’s parents are British, with his mother, Evelyne Longman, being of French descent. Growing up, he was bilingual in French and English. James is an only child and has shared about feeling that he didn’t have a large family. His father, whose name hasn’t been widely publicized, passed away when James was just 9 years old. James’ father struggled with schizophrenia and severe mental health issues throughout his life, ultimately dying by suicide. Sadly, this was not the first suicide in the family; James’ grandfather also took his own life.
James Longman Husband
James is married to Alex Brannan, a lawyer. The couple tied the knot at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London in July 2022, after several years together. James proposed to Alex in June 2020, sharing a heartfelt video of the moment with his social media followers. The proposal took place at home during the coronavirus pandemic, with Alex’s mother filming while trying to keep his nephew from running over to them. Afterward, the rest of the family joined, making the moment even more special.
“We’re engaged,” James wrote alongside the clip. “I asked Alex in the garden while his mum filmed, trying to stop his nephew from running over to us. And then the rest of the family came over. There was quite a lot of crying.”
Throughout their relationship, James has shared various moments on social media, emphasizing the deep bond they share and the significance of their wedding day.
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James Longman ABC News
Longman has served as a foreign correspondent for ABC News since 2017, with a base in London but a reach that spans the globe—over 45 countries and counting. He has been at the forefront of some of our time’s most pivotal international events. In 2022, Longman was in Moscow as Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine, reporting from the Russian capital as tensions escalated daily. He subsequently spent more than 12 weeks in Ukraine, becoming one of the first journalists to witness and report on the atrocities in Bucha.
Longman’s assignments have taken him to the front lines of the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, where he confronted Chechen authorities about abuses against LGBTQ+ individuals. He has reported on terror attacks across Europe and beyond and has covered stories as diverse as tagging humpback whales in the Antarctic. His versatility makes him one of the most dynamic correspondents in American network news. He was the first U.S. network journalist to report from the Thai cave where a soccer team went missing, and he secured the first interview with the team following their dramatic rescue. In Syria, he was also the first to conduct a televised interview with American IS bride Huda Mothana.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Longman traveled to more than 15 countries to document the global crisis, often while millions were under lockdown. He also fronted the National Geographic special “Virus Hunters,” where he traveled to bat caves in Liberia and pig farms in the American Midwest to meet frontline researchers working to prevent the next pandemic. The special aired in 173 countries and was translated into over 40 languages.
Before joining ABC, Longman worked for the BBC as a Beirut correspondent and general news reporter. His coverage included terrorist attacks across Europe, as well as issues like mental health and adolescent drug use. His journalism career began at age 24 when, as a recent Arabic graduate, he stationed himself in Syria at the onset of the civil war. Embedded with activist networks as the protest movement unfolded, Longman contributed to various publications and facilitated media access for other news organizations.
Longman’s work has earned him numerous accolades, including the David Bloom Award for his reporting in Chechnya and nominations for three News Emmy Awards for his coverage in Thailand and the Middle East. He was also a finalist for the Royal Television Society’s 2016 Young Talent of the Year Award. Raised bilingual in French and English, Longman is fluent in Arabic.
James Longman Salary
Longman’s exact salary as a foreign correspondent for ABC News is not publicly disclosed. However, salaries for foreign correspondents at major networks like ABC typically range from $100,000 to $300,000 per year, depending on experience, location, and the nature of assignments. Longman’s extensive expertise and high-profile assignments could place his earnings toward the higher end of this range.
James Longman Net Worth
Longman’s net worth is not publicly available, but it is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million.