Anita Rani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Rani
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Rani in 2019
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Anita Rani Nazran
25 October 1977 Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
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| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
| Occupation | Journalist, radio presenter, television presenter/personality |
| Employer | BBC, Channel 4 |
| Title | Chancellor of University of Bradford |
| Spouse(s) |
Bhupinder Rehal
(m. 2009; separated 2023) |
Anita Rani Nazran (born 25 October 1977), known professionally as Anita Rani, is a British journalist and a popular presenter on radio and television. She is known for hosting shows on the BBC and Channel 4.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Anita Rani was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Her parents were born in India and moved to the UK. Her father is Hindu and her mother is a Sikh. They started a business making textiles, and Anita and her brother sometimes helped out.
Learning About Her Grandfather
In 2015, on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?, Anita learned about her mother's father, Sant Singh. She discovered a sad part of her family's history. Her grandfather's first wife and children died during the Partition of India in 1947. This was a time when British India was split into two countries, India and Pakistan, which caused a lot of violence.
At the time, her grandfather was serving in the British Indian Army far away. He had joined the army in 1942. After India became independent, he continued to serve in the Indian Army until 1970.
Education
Rani went to Bradford Girls' Grammar School. She became interested in journalism at a young age. When she was only 14, she hosted her first show on Sunrise Radio. Later, she studied broadcasting at the University of Leeds.
Career as a Presenter
After university, Rani started working as a researcher for the BBC. Her career on television began in 2002 when she presented a live news and entertainment show called The Edit on Channel 5.
Joining the BBC
In 2005, Rani joined the BBC Asian Network radio station. She also began reporting for various TV shows. In 2008, she became a reporter for The One Show on BBC One. A year later, she started co-hosting the consumer rights show Watchdog.
From 2011 to 2015, Rani hosted Four Rooms, a show where people sell unique items to expert dealers. She has also presented several travel documentaries, including India on Four Wheels, China on Four Wheels, and Russia on Four Wheels. These shows explored how cars have changed life in those countries.
Since 2015, Rani has been a co-host of the popular BBC show Countryfile, which explores the British countryside.
Other Important Work
- In 2012, she won the Great Sport Relief Bake Off, a charity baking competition.
- In 2017, she presented a two-part BBC programme called My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947, where she explored the impact of the Partition on families like her own.
- In 2018, she received the Outstanding Achievement in Television award at The Asian Awards.
- Since 2021, she has hosted the Friday and Saturday editions of Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.
- In 2021, she became a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, helping to raise awareness for refugees around the world.
- In 2021, she also published her first book, a memoir called The Right Sort of Girl.
Chancellor of the University of Bradford
In November 2022, Rani was named the new chancellor of the University of Bradford. This is a special role where she acts as a leader and representative for the university. She said she was thrilled to be part of the university's exciting future.
Strictly Come Dancing
In 2015, Rani took part in the thirteenth series of the popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. The pair did very well in the competition, dancing styles like the Cha-cha-cha, Tango, and Jive. They reached the semi-final, finishing in fifth place.
Personal Life
Rani married Bhupinder Rehal in 2009. The couple separated in 2023. She has spoken about starting a new chapter in her life.
Rani lives in east London. To stay active, she enjoys running and doing yoga. In 2014, she was one of many public figures who signed a letter to The Guardian newspaper expressing their wish for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
See also
- List of British Sikhs
