Samira Ahmed

Samira Ahmed began her journalism career as a BBC News Trainee in 1990, establishing herself as a respected reporter. In the early 1990s, she worked as a News Correspondent for programs including ‘Today’ and ‘Newsnight,’ becoming one of the first broadcast journalists to examine the growth of Islamic radicalism on British university campuses. Her international experience included serving as the BBC Los Angeles Correspondent (1996-1997), covering the O.J. Simpson case, and working as a news anchor for BBC World and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin (late 1990s).

After leaving Channel 4, Ahmed became a freelance journalist and broadcaster. She presented programs including ‘The World Tonight,’ ‘PM,’ ‘Sunday Morning Live’ on BBC One (2012-2013), ‘Night Waves’ on Radio 3, and ‘The Proms’ on BBC Four. In October 2012, she took over as presenter of ‘Newswatch’ on the BBC News Channel. Ahmed interviewed Margaret Atwood at the National Theatre in September 2019, an event simulcast to cinemas worldwide.

In April 2023, she uncovered and broadcast the earliest complete concert recording of The Beatles performing live in the UK. She is a Visiting Professor of Journalism at Kingston University and holds honorary doctorates from several universities, including City, University of London, and Kingston University. She will assume the presidency of The Twentieth Century Society in July 2025, where she will advocate for modern architectural and design heritage.