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Sameena Ali-Khan (born 30 December 1967) is a British
media personality Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...
who is known as a television presenter,
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...
and newsreader. She is also a published author. Since commencing her media career in 1997 for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, Ali-Khan has worked in various areas of broadcasting. Upon moving from the BBC to the ITV network in 2005, she has become a popular recognised face at
ITV Central ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the rest ...
, as one of the main presenters for the
ITV News Central ''ITV News Central'' is a British television news service for The Midlands, broadcast and produced by ITV Central. History Launched on Friday 1 January 1982, replacing ''ATV Today'', ''Central News'' was initially a pan-regional service base ...
programmes. Ali-Khan has won numerous awards during her broadcasting career, including three RTS Midlands Best Screen Personality Awards in 2010, 2014 and 2015, for her work on
ITV News Central ''ITV News Central'' is a British television news service for The Midlands, broadcast and produced by ITV Central. History Launched on Friday 1 January 1982, replacing ''ATV Today'', ''Central News'' was initially a pan-regional service base ...
.


Life and career


Early life and education

Ali-Khan was born in
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, but initially raised in
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
,
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, as a young girl, where her father was a professor at one of the country's universities. The family moved regularly around the world, Ali-Khan living in many places such as
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
. She travelled extensively due to the occupations of her father, and this gave her a desire to learn and an interest in journalism. On her return to England, Ali-Khan studied for a degree in physiology and chemistry at the University of Salford, Manchester. Whilst studying, Ali-Khan launched her initial broadcasting career with a commercial radio station Sunset 102 in 1989. Ali-Khan completed her degree and followed up with a Masters in Art, specialising in TV features and documentary production, again from the University of Salford, Manchester.


Broadcasting career


1997–2000: ''

BBC Radio Lancashire BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Lancashire. It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on Darwen Street in Blackburn. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly aud ...
''

After the completion of her master's degree, Ali-Khan began her broadcasting career with the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
working on both Asian and mainstream programmes at
BBC Radio Lancashire BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Lancashire. It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on Darwen Street in Blackburn. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly aud ...
.


2000–2005: ''Drive on the

BBC Asian Network BBC Asian Network is a British Asian radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station's target audience is people "with an interest in British Asian lifestyles", especially British Asians between the ages of 18 and 34. The station has ...
and
Radio 5 Live BBC Radio 5 Live is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that broadcasts mainly news, sport, discussion, interviews and phone-ins. It is the principal BBC radio station covering sport in the United Kingdom, broadcas ...
''

Ali-Khan relocated to Birmingham in 2000 and began hosting Drive on the
BBC Asian Network BBC Asian Network is a British Asian radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station's target audience is people "with an interest in British Asian lifestyles", especially British Asians between the ages of 18 and 34. The station has ...
and
Radio 5 Live BBC Radio 5 Live is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that broadcasts mainly news, sport, discussion, interviews and phone-ins. It is the principal BBC radio station covering sport in the United Kingdom, broadcas ...
stations. Ali-Khan confesses that it was more by default than design that she ended up on a news programme like the Asian Network's Drive, ''I'm a failed medic!'' she said. ''I did a science degree, but didn't really like it, just mixing chemicals in a lab. As a break, I ended up going to a radio station on Wednesdays, which was my half-day off, and I just got a feel for radio then. I was answering phones but within about six months they allowed me to go on air and it all started from there''. It was while she was working on both the Asian and mainstream programmes at BBC Radio Lancashire that she heard that the Asian Network would be taking over the Asian programming there. I ended up applying for the job at the Asian Network in Birmingham as a Senior Broadcast Journalist. With no experience at all she got the job. Khan said "It was a turning point in my life". For the first few months she was just in a management role, then she job-shared that, as well as doing Drive, finally she went into presentation full-time, which has always been her first love.


2005–present day: ''

ITV Central ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the rest ...
and ITV Weekend News''

After working at the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
for 5 years, Ali-Khan made the move from radio to television and joined
ITV Central ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the rest ...
in 2005. Ali-Khan initially was a
presenter A presenter is a person or organization responsible for the running of a public event, or someone who conveys information on media via a broadcasting outlet. Presenter may refer to: People * News presenter, person who presents news during a new ...
of the East edition of ''
Central Tonight ''ITV News Central'' is a British television news service for The Midlands, broadcast and produced by ITV Central. History Launched on Friday 1 January 1982, replacing ''ATV Today'', ''Central News'' was initially a pan-regional service base ...
'' alongside Steve Clamp, before leaving to go on maternity leave in mid-2008. During this period Ali-Khan also presented the '' ITV Weekend News'' on occasion during 2006. Ali-Khan returned from maternity leave on 2 February 2009, now co-presenting the West Midlands edition of the programme, before it was merged with the East Midlands edition a fortnight later, and was renamed
ITV Central ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the rest ...
. After the merger, Ali-Khan became one of the main co-presenters of the pan-regional evening edition of the ''
ITV News Central ''ITV News Central'' is a British television news service for The Midlands, broadcast and produced by ITV Central. History Launched on Friday 1 January 1982, replacing ''ATV Today'', ''Central News'' was initially a pan-regional service base ...
'' programme, usually sharing the broadcasting duties with her fellow presenter
Bob Warman Robert Paul Warman (born 11 October 1946) is an English retired television presenter. Early life Warman was born on 11 October 1946 in the Chuckery district of Walsall, Staffordshire.Shropshire Star Weekend supplement article, by Simon Penfol ...
. Ali-Khan returned to occasionally present the '' ITV Weekend News'' from 2020.


Other Television work


2011: ''Royal Wedding Day''

In 2011, Ali-Khan was the presenter reporting from the Mall, for Sky News' and the BBC's coverage of the historic wedding of the second heir to the throne,
Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educa ...
, and
Catherine Middleton Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...
.


2016: ''Healthy Kitchen Cooking''

In 2016 Al-Khan presented the ''Healthy Kitchen Cooking'' show. A short series of programmes, featuring recipes for easy to make healthy dishes, with Chef Rachel Muse. The show was broadcast on channel #Sky 845.


Author

In 2014 Ali-Khan published her first novel, as the co-author of a romance based book, written with her husband, and published by
Mills & Boon Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher. The company moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. In 1971, the ...
. They use the pseudonym Riya Lakhani as the author's name.


2014: ''A Date with a Bollywood Star''

*''A Date with a Bollywood Star'' written by Riya Lakhani (2014)


Awards/Conferences/Events Host

Outside of her television work, Ali-Khan utilises her presentation skills as a host for award ceremonies and on the conference circuit, at a variety of events. Ali-Khan has hosted dozens of ceremonies since the late nineties, ranging from award presentations to chairing panel discussions. She has conducted events for numerous organisations including Facebook, Dechert LLP, Department for Communities and Local Government and Birmingham Education Partnership. The wide-ranging topics she has covered have included Wealth Management, Education, Business, Terrorism, Diversity, Mental Health, Brexit and the Arts.


Personal life

Ali-Khan is married with two children and lives in Fox Hollies, Birmingham. Ali-Khan describes herself on her Twitter profile as having a ''Big smile & big heart!''. She counts her interests outside of work as her family, cooking, fashion design, keeping fit, particularly cycling and swimming. Also due to her education and studies she still retains an interest in anything scientific. In January 2013, Ali-Khan was featured on the cover of a magazine for the first time. Pukaar Magazine featured an interview with Ali-Khan, giving an insight into her work and lifestyle, highlighted with photos from her first studio based fashion photo-shoot.


Official Website

In 2018, Ali-khan created her own personal website a
www.sameena.co.uk
Ali-Khan posts regular updates about any upcoming activities, details about her lifestyle and features a photo library, including video showreels.


Charity work

Ali-Khan is an ambassador for Breast Cancer Research and
The Prince's Trust The Prince's Trust ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth y Tywysog) is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11-to-30-year-olds who are u ...
. She is also a patron for Breaking the Silence, a domestic abuse charity. She regularly speaks at schools and colleges.


Awards and nominations


References


External links

*
''ITV News Central'' - Meet the team
at
itv.com itv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 13 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV brand (or the UTV brand in Northern Ireland). The website offers online streaming, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali-Khan, Sameena 1967 births Living people British television newsreaders and news presenters ITV regional newsreaders and journalists British people of Bengali descent British women television journalists