Sima Kotecha appointed UK Editor of BBC Newsnight

Monday 13th December 2021 13:12 EST
 
 

BBC Newsnight announced Sima Kotecha as their UK Editor last week. Sima, a leading BBC correspondent and journalist for over 17 years, represents the first British Indian to hold the senior post for the BBC in its history. BBC Newsnight has been the UK’s most prestigious current affairs programme.  

Sima – a regular presenter on the BBC Breakfast Show – is originally from Basingstoke and has been working with the BBC since 2003. Throughout her time at the BBC, Sima has worked as a Radio Presenter, News Correspondent and International Correspondent.

Messages of congratulations poured in for Sima, including from fellow TV Presenter Naga Munchetty

In recent years, Sima was posted out to Italy, where despite the danger, she was reporting on the first devastating outbreak of the Covid pandemic in early 2020. This was not the first time, Sima has presented in dangerous conditions, as she has also presented from Helmand Province in Afghanistan.  She also covered the historic US Presidential election in 2008, the Oscars on multiple occasions, as well as the earthquake in Haiti.

Sima is the daughter of East African Asians who came to the UK in the 1970s. Sima’s appointment as UK Editor of Newsnight is therefore a moment of great pride for British Indians in making their mark in mainstream journalism. 

Sima will be based in Birmingham for this key role, using the city as a base as she reports from across the four nations of the UK. Speaking after her appointment, Sima said she was “immensely” proud of her new role and looks forward to the opportunity to do more high-impact investigative journalism that matters to our viewers and the wider public. Sima also hopes that her appointment will encourage young journalists – particularly from ethnic backgrounds – to come forward and enter journalism.




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