Jeremy Bowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremy Bowen
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Bowen in 2012
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| Born |
Jeremy Francis John Bowen
6 February 1960 Cardiff, Wales
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| Education | |
| Title | International Editor of BBC News (2022–present) |
| Spouse(s) | Julia Williams |
| Children | 2 |
Jeremy Bowen (born 6 February 1960) is a well-known Welsh journalist and television presenter. He has worked for the BBC for many years, reporting from all over the world. Currently, he is the International Editor for BBC News.
Before this, Jeremy was the BBC's main reporter in the Middle East for a long time. He lived in Jerusalem from 1995 to 2000 and was the BBC Middle East editor from 2005 to 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Jeremy Bowen was born in Cardiff, Wales, on 6 February 1960. He went to school in Cardiff before studying History at University College London. He also studied at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC. Jeremy's father, Gareth Bowen, was also a journalist for the BBC. He reported on important events like the 1966 Aberfan disaster.
A Career Reporting from Around the World
Jeremy Bowen started working for the BBC in 1984. He quickly became known as a war correspondent, which means he reports from places where there are conflicts or wars. His first big assignment was in El Salvador in 1989. Since then, he has reported from over 70 countries, especially in the Middle East and the Balkans.
Reporting on Conflicts
During the Gulf War, Jeremy was in Baghdad. He reported on a sad event where many civilians were killed in an air raid shelter. He saw that the victims were mostly women, children, and older men, not soldiers.
He also reported from Bosnia-Herzegovina during the Bosnian War and from Kosovo during the conflict there in 1999. Reporting from war zones can be very dangerous. Jeremy has been caught in gunfire several times.
A Difficult Experience in Lebanon
In May 2000, while covering the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, Jeremy's car was hit by tank fire. Tragically, his driver and helper was killed. This was a very difficult moment for Jeremy. After this, he took a break from frontline reporting.
Working in the Studio
For a while, Jeremy worked as a presenter in the studio. He hosted the morning show BBC Breakfast from 2000 to 2002. He also presented documentaries like Son of God and Moses, which explored the lives of important historical figures.
Return to Field Reporting
Even after his difficult experience, Jeremy returned to reporting from the field. In 2005, he became the BBC's first Middle East Editor. This new role allowed him to give a wider view of events in the Middle East. He also wrote a book called Six Days: How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East.
In 2011, Jeremy was the first British journalist to interview Muammar Gaddafi during the 2011 Libyan civil war. This was a very important interview.
Shot While Reporting
On 5 July 2013, while reporting on protests in Egypt, Jeremy was shot in the head with shotgun pellets. Luckily, he was not seriously injured and was quickly helped by his colleagues.
He has also reported extensively on the Syrian Civil War. In 2015, he had an exclusive interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. More recently, since March 2022, Jeremy has been reporting from Ukraine on the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Recent Reporting Challenges
In October 2023, Jeremy oversaw the BBC's coverage of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. This included a report on an incident at a hospital in Gaza City. The BBC's initial reporting on this incident faced criticism for being inaccurate. Later, other intelligence agencies suggested the explosion was likely from a misfired rocket by a Palestinian group, not an Israeli bomb. The BBC later corrected some of its claims.
Personal Life
Jeremy Bowen lives in South London with his partner, Julia Williams, who is also a BBC journalist. They have a son and a daughter. He is a big fan of the Cardiff City football team. In 2019, Jeremy shared that he had received treatment for a tumor in his bowel.
Awards and Recognition
Jeremy Bowen has won many awards for his excellent journalism throughout his career. Some of these include:
- New York Television Festival – Best News Correspondent (1995)
- Monte Carlo International TV Festival Silver Nymph for Bosnia war coverage (1993)
- RTS Best Breaking News Report for coverage of the assassination of Israel's President Yitzhak Rabin (1996)
- Sony Gold award for News Story of the Year on the arrest of Saddam Hussein
- Part of the BBC teams that won a BAFTA for their Kosovo coverage
- International Emmy for BBC News coverage of the 2006 Lebanon War (2006)
- Prix Bayeux Calvados for war reporting (Gaza, 2009; Syria, 2012; 2016)
- Charles Wheeler Award for achievements in broadcast journalism (2010)
- Peace Through Media Award at the International Media Awards (2012)
- Peabody Award for reporting Syria's war (2013)
- News and Documentary Emmy for Syria reporting (2013)
- RTS Specialist Journalist of the Year (2013)
- RTS Television Journalist of the Year (2014)
- BAFTA Cymru Siân Phillips award (2014)
- James Cameron Memorial Award (2015)
- Frontline Club Award for Yemen reporting (2015)
- RTS Interview of the Year for an interview with President Assad of Syria (2016)
He has also been recognized with honorary fellowships and doctorates from several universities, including University College London, Cardiff University, and Nottingham Trent University.
