Alistair Bunkall

Alistair Edward Julian Bunkall (born 1982, Bristol),^[1] is a British journalist, currently working as Middle East Correspondent for Sky News, the 24-hour television news service operated by Sky UK. He has occupied this position since July 2021. Alistair was previously Defence and Security Correspondent for seven years and reported from many conflicts around the world including Afghanistan, Yemen^[2] and the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq.^[3]

Early life and education[]

Bunkall was born in Bristol in March 1982, and grew up in the village of Buckland Newton in north Dorset in South West England.^{[citation needed]}

Bunkall was educated at Sherborne School, a boarding independent school for boys, in the market town of Sherborne in Dorset in South West England,^[4] followed by the University of Bristol in the city of Bristol, also in South West England.^[3] He took a Post Graduate Degree at the City University in Central London, in 2004.^[5]

Life and career[]

After leaving Sherborne School, Bunkall gained work experience at the Dorset Echo, a local daily newspaper. While still at the University of Bristol, he worked for BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset Sound. After completing his Post Graduate Degree at City University in London in 2004, he joined BBC News, and reported for the BBC One O'Clock News. He also worked in two ITV regions: ITV Central and ITV Thames Valley, and for the CKNW radio station in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, on the West Coast of Canada.

Bunkall joined Sky News as a general news reporter in 2007. He has reported extensively from Westminster, including on the MPs' Expenses Scandal of 2009.

He has also reported from Sudan in the run-up to the crucial elections leading up to Independence, and on the Norwegian twin terror attacks in early 2011.

Bunkall also reported from Denmark after the attempted assassination of a Danish cartoonist.

During his time as Business Correspondent for the channel, Bunkall reported from around Europe on the Eurozone crisis.

In 2014 he was deployed to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan to report on the multi-national humanitarian relief effort.

He became Sky News Defence Correspondent in December 2012. He has reported on the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan. He has also reported from North Korea ^[6] and is known for his access into some of the UK's most secretive establishments including the nuclear deterrent, covert drone base^[7] and intelligence agencies. Bunkall has interviewed key world figures including Prime Ministers, NATO Secretary Generals, leading diplomats and military officers.

Since July 2019, Bunkall has run an independent podcast series, titled "Off The Record with Alistair Bunkall", where he interviews "some of the world's great leaders".^[8] Recent high-profile interviews include Sir Alex Younger, former Head of MI6.^[9]

Personal life[]

Bunkall is married to Kate, a journalist for ITV News.^[10] They live in London with two children.

References[]