Samira Ahmed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samira Ahmed
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Ahmed in 2022
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| Born | 15 June 1968 Wandsworth, London, England
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| Alma mater | St Edmund Hall, Oxford City University, London |
| Occupation | Journalist, documentarian and news presenter |
| Spouse(s) | Brian Millar (divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
Samira Ahmed was born on June 15, 1968. She is a well-known British journalist, writer, and broadcaster. She works for the BBC, where she hosts popular shows.
Samira presents Front Row on Radio 4. She also hosts Newswatch on the BBC News channel and BBC One. You might see her on Newswatch during BBC Breakfast. She also creates many radio documentaries.
In March 2020, Samira was named the British Broadcasting Press Guild's audio presenter of the year. She has written for newspapers like The Guardian and The Independent. She also writes a regular column for New Humanist. From 2000 to 2011, she was a reporter and presenter for Channel 4 News.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Samira Ahmed was born in Wandsworth, south London. Her parents are Athar and Lalita Ahmed. Her mother, Lalita, was also a TV presenter, actress, chef, and writer. She worked for the BBC World Service.
Samira went to Wimbledon High School, a private school for girls. She was the editor of her school's magazine.
University Studies
Samira studied English at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. She became an honorary fellow there in 2019. While at university, she edited student magazines like Isis and Union. She also won a journalism prize for her work on student newspapers.
After graduating, she earned a diploma in Newspaper Journalism from City University, London. Samira looked up to Lucy Mathen, who was the first female Asian reporter on BBC television. Lucy worked on John Craven's Newsround, a children's news show.
Journalism Career
Samira Ahmed started as a BBC news trainee in 1990. By 1992, she was a radio reporter for shows like Today. She later became a presenter for BBC World. This led to her becoming a reporter for Newsnight.
From 1996 to 1997, she was the BBC's correspondent in Los Angeles. She reported on important court cases there.
Moving to Channel 4
Samira briefly worked for Deutsche Welle in Berlin. She then returned to BBC World and BBC News 24. In April 2000, she joined Channel 4 News. She became a presenter there in July 2002. She left Channel 4 in June 2011 to work as a freelance journalist.
Awards and Recognition
In 2009, Samira won the "Broadcaster of the Year" award at the Stonewall Awards. This was for her report on violence against lesbian women in South Africa. She also won Celebrity Mastermind twice. In December 2010, her special topic was Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the Little House on the Prairie books. She won again in 2019.
From 2011 to 2013, she reviewed newspapers on the TV show Lorraine. From 2012 to 2013, she hosted Sunday Morning Live on BBC One. In October 2012, she became the presenter of Newswatch on the BBC News Channel.
She has also been a Visiting Professor of Journalism at Kingston University. She writes regularly for The Big Issue magazine.
Recent Projects
In September 2019, Samira interviewed Margaret Atwood about her book The Testaments. This interview was shown in over 1,000 cinemas worldwide.
In June 2020, BBC Four aired Art of Persia. This was a three-part series presented by Samira. It explored the history and culture of Iran. Samira also voiced a character named Juliette Destiny in the puppet show Nebula-75. The character even looked like her!
In November 2021, Samira interviewed Paul McCartney and poet Paul Muldoon. They talked about their book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. In April 2023, Samira found the earliest complete recording of The Beatles performing live in the UK. A 15-year-old student made the tape in 1963. She shared parts of this recording on her Radio 4 show, Front Row.
Samira has also explored the work of Mary Whitehouse, a campaigner from the past. She also looked at the comedy series The Goodies. Samira has received honorary doctorates from several universities.
She helps lead the Centre for Women's Justice. She is also part of the blue plaques panel for Historic England.
Fair Pay Tribunal
In October 2019, Samira Ahmed took legal action against the BBC. She believed she was not being paid fairly compared to male colleagues. In January 2020, the tribunal decided in her favor. In February 2020, it was announced that a settlement was reached with the BBC. Samira said that a 1975 episode of The Goodies about sexism in newsrooms inspired her during this process. Her case was seen as very important for women fighting for equal pay everywhere.
Personal Life
Samira Ahmed lives in New Malden. She was married to Brian Millar, and they have a son and a daughter. From 2023 to 2024, she was a trustee for the charity Humanists UK. She is also the President of The Twentieth Century Society.
See also
In Spanish: Samira Ahmed para niños
