Sonia Deol

Sonia Deol, born in Birmingham, England, began her media career at the age of 14, presenting a one-off program for Comic Relief on BBC Radio WM. She holds a B.A. (Honours) in Humanities from the University of Hertfordshire, graduating in 1994. After her university studies, Deol joined Sunrise Radio in 1994. In 2000, she became a presenter and newsreader for BBC London, followed by a role on Asian network Radio XL, where she hosted the mid-morning show, which was the first phone-in show dedicated to the Asian community in the Midlands.

Her career at the BBC expanded significantly. In 2002, Deol returned to the BBC Asian Network as it re-launched nationally, presenting the ‘Sonia Deol Show’ from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on weekdays. This program included phone-ins and discussions on news and current affairs, along with music. A notable achievement during this period was co-hosting the BBC local radio’s Frank Gillard Awards in 2003 with the then Director-General of the BBC, Greg Dyke. Her show received a bronze award in the Interactive Category at the 2003 Sony Radio Academy Awards. In 2006, she transitioned to the BBC Asian Network’s breakfast slot, presenting ‘Sonia Deol on the BBC Asian Network’ from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. She won the Asian Achievers Media Award in 2006 for her contributions. Deol covered significant global events, including the 9/11 terror attacks and the UK and US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, interviewing various politicians and world leaders. She hosted entertainment shows, political discussions, and chat shows, and also presented the BBC’s flagship ‘Breakfast Show’. She won multiple ‘Best Presenter’ and ‘Best Female Presenter’ awards in the UK during her tenure.

Sonia Deol moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 2011, taking a temporary career break following the birth of her daughter. She made her Canadian television debut as an anchor for CBC Vancouver, and a few months later, in January 2015, joined Global BC as an anchor and reporter. From November 2015 to March 2022, she co-presented the station’s regional morning news program and later served as a weekend news anchor and reporter for Global BC.