Anita Rani
Encyclopedia
Anita Rani is an English
born ethnic Indian
radio and television presenter
and journalist
.
in Yorkshire
, to a mother of Sikh
origins, and Hindu
father. She developed an early interest in journalism, hosting her first show at the age of 14 on Sunrise Radio in Bradford.
, an independent school
in Bradford, followed by the University of Leeds
, where she studied Broadcasting.
and other organisations.
In 2002, Rani presented The Edit, a live news and entertainment programme on Channel Five. She has also presented a number of pop shows on Five including Spring Break Live, Party in the Park and Pop City Live, as well as being a freelance journalist for Five News
. In Spring 2003 she fronted The State We're In, a satirical current affairs programme on BBC Three
. She also presented the first Poetry Slam on the same channel. She was nominated as Best On Screen Personality at the Royal Television Society
Midlands awards in 2005.
Rani joined the BBC Asian Network
radio station in March 2005, and became presenter of the weekend Hot Breakfast show. From April 2006 to March 2007 she presented the weekday morning talkback programme Anita Rani on the BBC Asian Network on the station.
Since 20 May 2006, Rani has been a co-presenter of Desi DNA
, an Arts programme on BBC Two
. She was also part of the launch team that presented Destination Three, a late night entertainment zone on BBC Three
. In 2005 she was also a regular reporter on The Cricket Show on Channel 4
. In May 2006 she joined Sky Sports
where she became co-presenter with Simon Thomas
on the Cricket AM
show each Saturday morning.
Rani presented My Generation Next, shown on BBC News 24
between 2 December and 9 December 2006. She covered for Anita Anand
on the late evening weekday show on BBC Radio Five Live
in March and September 2007 and has presented World Have Your Say on the BBC World Service
and Weekend Breakfast on Five Live. She has also covered on various shows for BBC 6 Music
.
Since 2 August 2008, Rani has been the co-presenter of Rogue Restaurants on BBC1, and has joined the team of roving reporters on The One Show
.
From Monday, 2 March 2009 Rani appeared on BBC1's Watchdog
as a new co-presenter, replacing Julia Bradbury, who had last appeared on the programme on Monday, 16 February 2009.
In 2011, Rani presented Four Rooms
about trying to sell unique objects to specialist dealers. Rani co-presented with Justin Rowlatt
the two part documentary travelogue India on Four Wheels
, an epic road trip around India sampling the changes and problems the growing car usage has brought to the country in the last two decades, where the economy has surged forward empowering the middle classes but leaving the rural poor untouched.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
born ethnic Indian
Indian people
Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India...
radio and television presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Early life
Rani was born and raised in BradfordBradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, to a mother of Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
origins, and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
father. She developed an early interest in journalism, hosting her first show at the age of 14 on Sunrise Radio in Bradford.
Education
Rani was educated at Bradford Girls' Grammar SchoolBradford Girls' Grammar School
Founded in 1857, Bradford Girls' Grammar School is an independent senior school for girls aged 11 – 18 with co-educational preparatory school and nursery, called Lady Royd Preparatory School for boys and girls aged 2 – 11 years....
, an 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...
in Bradford, followed by the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, where she studied Broadcasting.
Life and career
After leaving university, Rani worked as a researcher for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and other organisations.
In 2002, Rani presented The Edit, a live news and entertainment programme on Channel Five. She has also presented a number of pop shows on Five including Spring Break Live, Party in the Park and Pop City Live, as well as being a freelance journalist for Five News
Five News
5 News is the news programme of British broadcaster Channel 5, produced by Sky News. From 1 January 2005, Sky News was awarded the contract to provide the news for Channel 5, replacing ITN, which had provided the channel's news service from the channel's launch in 1997...
. In Spring 2003 she fronted The State We're In, a satirical current affairs programme on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
. She also presented the first Poetry Slam on the same channel. She was nominated as Best On Screen Personality at the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Midlands awards in 2005.
Rani joined the BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
radio station in March 2005, and became presenter of the weekend Hot Breakfast show. From April 2006 to March 2007 she presented the weekday morning talkback programme Anita Rani on the BBC Asian Network on the station.
Since 20 May 2006, Rani has been a co-presenter of Desi DNA
Desi DNA
Desi DNA is a British television show on the BBC covering Desi art, culture and entertainment, currently broadcasting its fifth series in 2008....
, an Arts programme on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. She was also part of the launch team that presented Destination Three, a late night entertainment zone on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
. In 2005 she was also a regular reporter on The Cricket Show on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. In May 2006 she joined Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
where she became co-presenter with Simon Thomas
Simon Thomas (television presenter)
Simon Thomas is a British television presenter, who worked on Blue Peter for six years.-Early life:Simon Thomas was born in Norwich, Norfolk to Andrew and Gill Thomas. He has two sisters called Hannah and Rebecca...
on the Cricket AM
Cricket AM
Cricket AM is a Saturday-morning cricket-based television programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports 1. It began broadcasting in May 2006, and is largely based on its successful football-related counterpart Soccer AM, as a replacement during the football off-season...
show each Saturday morning.
Rani presented My Generation Next, shown on BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
between 2 December and 9 December 2006. She covered for Anita Anand
Anita Anand
-Early life:Anand was born in London, England to Pakistani Hindu parents from the North West Frontier, bordering on Afghanistan.-Education:Anand was educated at Bancroft's School, a co-educational independent school in the town of Woodford Green, in the suburb of Woodford in North East London,...
on the late evening weekday show on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
in March and September 2007 and has presented World Have Your Say on the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
and Weekend Breakfast on Five Live. She has also covered on various shows for BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
.
Since 2 August 2008, Rani has been the co-presenter of Rogue Restaurants on BBC1, and has joined the team of roving reporters on The One Show
The One Show
The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
.
From Monday, 2 March 2009 Rani appeared on BBC1's Watchdog
Watchdog (TV series)
Watchdog is a BBC television series that investigates viewers' reports of problematic experiences with traders, retailers, and other companies around the UK...
as a new co-presenter, replacing Julia Bradbury, who had last appeared on the programme on Monday, 16 February 2009.
In 2011, Rani presented Four Rooms
Four Rooms (TV programme)
Four Rooms is a British television programme aired on Channel 4, in which four dealers in obscure and extraordinary objects try to buy various unique items from members of the public....
about trying to sell unique objects to specialist dealers. Rani co-presented with Justin Rowlatt
Justin Rowlatt
Justin Rowlatt is a BBC news reporter and presenter.-Television career:During his time on Channel 4 News, he was a passenger on the train part of the Hatfield rail crash in 2000, reporting that he "watched the carriages skid and whip around on the gravel besides the track".He moved to the BBC in...
the two part documentary travelogue India on Four Wheels
India on Four Wheels
India on Four Wheels was a documentary shown in the UK on BBC Two where Justin Rowlatt and Anita Rani travelled around India sampling the changes and problems the growing car usage has brought to the country in the last two decades....
, an epic road trip around India sampling the changes and problems the growing car usage has brought to the country in the last two decades, where the economy has surged forward empowering the middle classes but leaving the rural poor untouched.
External links
- BBC profile of Anita Rani
- Behind the scenes of Anita abseiling for BBC's The One Show
- http://www.kingswood.co.uk/school-trips/educational-visits/key-stage-2/discovery-programme.html Anita Rani in the Kingswood Educational DVD - Anita Rani Goes to Kingswood.