George Alagiah Biography

George Maxwell Alagiah is a British journalist of Tamil ancestry. Born in 1955 in Sri Lanka, an island nation located off the southeastern coast of India, he is the son of an engineer and has four siblings. He earned a degree in political science from Durham University where he first began to develop an interest in journalism. After spending nearly a decade as a print journalist, Alagiah joined the BBC as a correspondent. His interest in humanitarian efforts inspired his journalism. As one of the BBC's leading foreign reporters, he covered controversial stories that shocked the world. His work has also included documentaries and interviews with such prominent persons as Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe. He is most well known as the face of several BBC News programs. For over 25 years, his work has consistently brought integrity to television journalism. Unfortunately, Alagiah was forced to leave his position at the BBC while undergoing cancer therapy. He is the author of two books, contributes written pieces to numerous British newspapers, and has received several awards for his journalistic efforts. In addition, Alagiah is an active philanthropist, appears at literary festivals, and is on the board of Britain's premiere theater group, the Royal Shakespeare Company