Journalist and broadcaster John Pienaar has been at the forefront of British politics for thirty years. After training as a journalist he started work for local papers in London and reporting from the Old Bailey, before moving onto specialise in politics with The Independent, The Guardian and The Press Association. In 1992 he joined the BBC where he remains to this day. He became a regular face and voice for the Corporation, appearing on a range of TV, radio, news and current affairs shows, including The Today Programme on Radio 4, Question Time Extra, Daily Politics and the One, Six and Ten O’Clock News.

Pienaar became the Chief Political Correspondent for BBC Radio 5 Live in 2002, his Sunday morning show Pienaar’s Politics is still broadcast every weekend and regularly sets the news and political agenda with live debates between politicians, campaigners and spokespeople. He also broadcasts live during party conferences and analyses election results. In 2016 Pienaar became the BBC’s Deputy Political Editor.

Now considered a Westminster veteran, the well-respected Pienaar continues to be a familiar face standing outside No.10 Downing Street or on our television screens and is the ideal candidate to explain the current political landscape and scrutinise spin. Still passionate about journalism Pienaar regularly speaks to younger journalists going through training and when not broadcasting supports his beloved Crystal Palace FC.