Sameena Ali-Khan

Sameena Ali-Khan (born 30 December 1967) is a British media personality who is known as a television presenter, journalist and newsreader. She is also a published author.

Since commencing her media career in 1997 for the BBC, Ali-Khan has worked in various areas of broadcasting. Upon moving from the BBC to the ITV network in 2005, she has become a popular recognised face at ITV Central, as one of the main presenters for the ITV News Central programmes.

Ali-Khan has won numerous awards during her broadcasting career, including three RTS Midlands Best Screen Personality Awards in 2010, 2014 and 2015, for her work on ITV News Central.

Early life and education
Ali-Khan was born in Manchester, England, but initially raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a young girl, where her father was a professor at one of the country's universities. The family moved regularly around the world, Ali-Khan living in many places such as Hong Kong. She travelled extensively due to the occupations of her father, and this gave her a desire to learn and an interest in journalism.

On her return to England, Ali-Khan studied for a degree in physiology and chemistry at the University of Salford, Manchester. Whilst studying, Ali-Khan launched her initial broadcasting career with a commercial radio station Sunset 102 in 1989. Ali-Khan completed her degree and followed up with a Masters in Art, specialising in TV features and documentary production, again from the University of Salford, Manchester.

1997–2000: BBC Radio Lancashire
After the completion of her master's degree, Ali-Khan began her broadcasting career with the BBC working on both Asian and mainstream programmes at BBC Radio Lancashire.

2000–2005: Drive on the BBC Asian Network and Radio 5 Live
Ali-Khan relocated to Birmingham in 2000 and began hosting Drive on the BBC Asian Network and Radio 5 Live stations. Ali-Khan confesses that it was more by default than design that she ended up on a news programme like the Asian Network's Drive, I'm a failed medic! she said. ''I did a science degree, but didn't really like it, just mixing chemicals in a lab. As a break, I ended up going to a radio station on Wednesdays, which was my half-day off, and I just got a feel for radio then. I was answering phones but within about six months they allowed me to go on air and it all started from there''.

It was while she was working on both the Asian and mainstream programmes at BBC Radio Lancashire that she heard that the Asian Network would be taking over the Asian programming there. I ended up applying for the job at the Asian Network in Birmingham as a Senior Broadcast Journalist. With no experience at all she got the job. Khan said "It was a turning point in my life".

For the first few months she was just in a management role, then she job-shared that, as well as doing Drive, finally she went into presentation full-time, which has always been her first love.

2005–present day: ITV Central and ITV Weekend News
After working at the BBC for 5 years, Ali-Khan made the move from radio to television and joined ITV Central in 2005.

Ali-Khan initially was a presenter of the East edition of Central Tonight alongside Steve Clamp, before leaving to go on maternity leave in mid-2008.

During this period Ali-Khan also presented the ITV Weekend News on occasion during 2006.

Ali-Khan returned from maternity leave on 2 February 2009, now co-presenting the West Midlands edition of the programme, before it was merged with the East Midlands edition a fortnight later, and was renamed ITV Central.

After the merger, Ali-Khan became one of the main co-presenters of the pan-regional evening edition of the ITV News Central programme, usually sharing the broadcasting duties with her fellow presenter Bob Warman.

Ali-Khan returned to occasionally present the ITV Weekend News from 2020.

2011: Royal Wedding Day
In 2011, Ali-Khan was the presenter reporting from the Mall, for Sky News' and the BBC's coverage of the historic wedding of the second heir to the throne, Prince William, and Catherine Middleton.

2016: Healthy Kitchen Cooking
In 2016 Al-Khan presented the Healthy Kitchen Cooking show. A short series of programmes, featuring recipes for easy to make healthy dishes, with Chef Rachel Muse. The show was broadcast on channel #Sky 845.

Author
In 2014 Ali-Khan published her first novel, as the co-author of a romance based book, written with her husband, and published by Mills & Boon. They use the pseudonym Riya Lakhani as the author's name.

2014: A Date with a Bollywood Star

 * A Date with a Bollywood Star written by Riya Lakhani (2014)

Awards/Conferences/Events Host
Outside of her television work, Ali-Khan utilises her presentation skills as a host for award ceremonies and on the conference circuit, at a variety of events.

Ali-Khan has hosted dozens of ceremonies since the late nineties, ranging from award presentations to chairing panel discussions.

She has conducted events for numerous organisations including Facebook, Dechert LLP, Department for Communities and Local Government and Birmingham Education Partnership.

The wide-ranging topics she has covered have included Wealth Management, Education, Business, Terrorism, Diversity, Mental Health, Brexit and the Arts.

Personal life
Ali-Khan is married with two children and lives in Fox Hollies, Birmingham.

Ali-Khan describes herself on her Twitter profile as having a Big smile & big heart!. She counts her interests outside of work as her family, cooking, fashion design, keeping fit, particularly cycling and swimming. Also due to her education and studies she still retains an interest in anything scientific.

In January 2013, Ali-Khan was featured on the cover of a magazine for the first time. Pukaar Magazine featured an interview with Ali-Khan, giving an insight into her work and lifestyle, highlighted with photos from her first studio based fashion photo-shoot.

Official Website
In 2018, Ali-khan created her own personal website at www.sameena.co.uk Ali-Khan posts regular updates about any upcoming activities, details about her lifestyle and features a photo library, including video showreels.

Charity work
Ali-Khan is an ambassador for Breast Cancer Research and The Prince's Trust.

She is also a patron for Breaking the Silence, a domestic abuse charity.

She regularly speaks at schools and colleges.