Alistair Bunkall
Encyclopedia
Alistair Edward Julian Bunkall (born 1983), is a Business Correspondent for Sky News
, the 24 hour television news service operated by Sky Television
, part of British Sky Broadcasting
. He has occupied this position since October 2011.
in north Dorset
in South West England
, in 1983.
, a boarding independent school
for boys, in the market town
of Sherborne
in Dorset in South West England, followed by the University of Bristol
in the city of Bristol
, also in South West England. He took a Post Graduate Degree at the City University in Central London
, in 2004.
, a local daily newspaper. While still at the University of Bristol, he worked for BBC Radio Bristol
and BBC Somerset Sound
. After completing his Post Graduate Degree at City University in London in 2004, he joined BBC News
, and reported for the BBC One O'Clock News
. He also worked in two ITV regions: ITV Central and ITV Thames Valley
, and for the CKNW radio station in the city of Vancouver
in British Columbia
, on the West Coast of Canada
.
Bunkall joined Sky News as a general news reporter in 2007, since when he has reported from Westminster on many occasions, including the MPs' Expenses Scandal of 2009. He was a leading member of Sky News’ Royal Wedding team in 2011, presenting live coverage for many hours on the day of the wedding, and providing videotaped reports for later bulletins. He has also reported from Sudan in the run-up to the crucial elections leading up to Independence, and on the Norwegian twin terror attacks in early 2011, remaining for a week to report on the memorial services in Oslo and Anders Breivik's first court appearance. He also travelled with the Norwegian Red Cross to produce live reports, some from onboard motorboats, on the country's search and rescue missions. He became Sky News Business Correspondent in October 2011.
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, the 24 hour television news service operated by Sky Television
Sky Television
Sky Television may refer to:*British Sky Broadcasting in the United Kingdom**Sky Digital , the television network run by BSkyB...
, part of British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
. He has occupied this position since October 2011.
Early life
Bunkall was born in the village of Buckland NewtonBuckland Newton
Buckland Newton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated under the scarp of the Dorset Downs, six miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 618 . People have worshipped at the Church of the Holy Rood in Buckland Newton since the 13th century.The village lies within the...
in north Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
in South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, in 1983.
Education
Bunkall was educated at Sherborne SchoolSherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, a boarding independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for boys, in the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
in Dorset in South West England, followed by the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
in the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, also in South West England. He took a Post Graduate Degree at the City University in Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, in 2004.
Life and career
After leaving Sherborne School, Bunkall gained work experience at the Dorset EchoDorset Echo
The Dorset Echo is a daily newspaper published in the county of Dorset, England.The title publishes Monday to Saturday from editorial offices in Weymouth, and covers issues concerning south, central and west Dorset...
, a local daily newspaper. While still at the University of Bristol, he worked for BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC Local Radio service for the English city of Bristol and the surrounding former Avon area. Launched in September 1970, it broadcasts from Broadcasting House in Bristol on FM frequencies 94.9 MHz , 104.6 MHz , 103.6 MHz , on AM 1548 kHz and on DAB.The...
and BBC Somerset Sound
BBC Somerset Sound
BBC Somerset, formerly BBC Somerset Sound, is the BBC Local Radio service for the shire county of Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset, England...
. After completing his Post Graduate Degree at City University in London in 2004, he joined BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, and reported for the BBC One O'Clock News
BBC One O'Clock News
The BBC News at One is the afternoon news bulletin from the BBC. Produced by BBC News, the programme is broadcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel on Monday to Sunday 1:00pm....
. He also worked in two ITV regions: ITV Central and ITV Thames Valley
ITV Thames Valley
ITV Thames Valley was a non-franchise ITV news region covering the Thames Valley area of the United Kingdom from 4 December 2006 until 8 February 2009. It served the south/south-eastern area of the legal Central franchise and the north/north-western area of the legal Meridian franchise...
, and for the CKNW radio station in the city of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, on the West Coast of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Bunkall joined Sky News as a general news reporter in 2007, since when he has reported from Westminster on many occasions, including the MPs' Expenses Scandal of 2009. He was a leading member of Sky News’ Royal Wedding team in 2011, presenting live coverage for many hours on the day of the wedding, and providing videotaped reports for later bulletins. He has also reported from Sudan in the run-up to the crucial elections leading up to Independence, and on the Norwegian twin terror attacks in early 2011, remaining for a week to report on the memorial services in Oslo and Anders Breivik's first court appearance. He also travelled with the Norwegian Red Cross to produce live reports, some from onboard motorboats, on the country's search and rescue missions. He became Sky News Business Correspondent in October 2011.