I’m a British journalist living and working in Doha, Qatar.
Before moving here in 2009 I was a broadcast journalist in London for 9 years. My career began at Reuters, where I was a radio newsreader. Next, I moved to the BBC News website, as a producer for its fledgling audio and video section. Here, I won the BBC News website’s original journalism prize. Three years later, I moved into TV at the BBC News Channel and the BBC One o’Clock national news for several years, before moving on to my final post at the BBC - as Transport Producer, working with Transport Correspondent Tom Symonds, researching and producing specialist news pieces for the whole BBC network.
I’ve been in Doha for four years, during which time I’ve freelanced for a wide range of outlets, including broadcasters Al Jazeera, the BBC, CNN, and radio station Monocle 24; British newspapers The Telegraph and The Independent; magazines Good Housekeeping Middle East, Scientific American, Oryx In-Flight Premium (the Qatar Airways in-flight magazine), Bespoke (for the St Regis Hotel group), Time Out Doha, Abode, New York Times Style Qatar (T Qatar), Qatar Happening, The EDGE, Preferred Lifestyles (for the Preferred Hotels group) and FACT Qatar.
I’m also on the editing team of the innovative local news website Doha News, was the presenter of QF Radio’s Meet the Philharmonic, and soon I will be hosting a series of TV interviews for new website Just Here, focusing on artists and writers based in Qatar.
I also act as a proofreader and copy editor. I’ve recently finished editing and co-writing new book Qatar Success Stories.
I can write about pretty much anything, but my areas of specialist knowledge are travel, transport (particularly aviation) food, health and kids.
I have a PG Dip in Broadcast Journalism from City University, London and a degree in English Language and Literature from King’s College, London.
NB: I’ve written quite a number of restaurant reviews for Time Out. However, as Time Out reviews anonymously, I can’t feature them on here, for obvious reasons.
Fascinating! How nice to *meet* you! I’m so impressed that you manage to do all this GREAT work, with a toddler! We do have a lot in common. I’ll just see if I can find you on Twitter….
Really interesting. My girlfriend moved out to Doha about 2 months ago as she is working now for Qatar Airways. She is going to have to live there for 3 years and so it is interesting reading this blog as well as the links you have on your blogroll. Any advice I could pass onto her?
Hello! The best advice I can give is to get out and explore. Take regular trips out of Doha, go out for nice meals with friends, take classes and make lots of friends. Oh, and go on regular trips away, and return happy. Hope she has a great time!