Ros Atkins is a BBC News presenter and Analysis Editor, know for his video explainer format which has become a global phenomenon with vast audiences on social media and on the BBC's digital, TV and radio channels.... Read more
He was the creator and presenter of Outside Source which simulcast in primetime on BBC News Channel in the UK and on BBC World News as well as the highly in demand Ros Atkins on… videos which often are shared across social media for their unique ability to dissect recent stories and place in context of recent events. Ros has anchored coverage for many of the biggest global stories including Brexit, COVID19, the war in Ukraine and multiple US and European elections and has reported from all over the world. Ros also co-presents The Media Show on BBC Radio 4 and in 2024 launched his podcast Communicating with Ros Atkins where he interviews the likes of Rob Brydon, Tina Brown and Martin Lewis on how they communicate with their audiences.
His book The Art of Explanation: How to Communicate with Clarity and Confidence was released in September 2023 where it lauded by critics and fans. Ros takes his readers through his 10 rules developed and polished throughout his career as a journalists to help them get complex information clearly.
Ros is the founder of the 50:50 Project. He started it in the BBC newsroom in 2017 to support diverse representation in the BBC’s journalism. 50:50 now works across all BBC content and the organisation has talked of how it’s ‘unleashed a surge of creativity and innovation’ and delivered a ‘transformation’ that is ‘long-term and sustainable’. Outside the BBC, 50:50 has grown into a global initiative with over 130 organisations in over 30 countries taking part from a variety of sectors. London Business School and Harvard Kennedy School have produced two studies looking at how Ros started the project and how he passed on the leadership of it.
In early 2022, Ros sprung a surprise by revisiting his days as a DJ with a drum and bass mix for BBC Radio 6 Music. The mix went viral and led to widespread press coverage as did his 2024 set at Glastonbury Festival. He has also sat in for Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2.
Ros has made a number of documentaries including one that examined the relationship between tourist and host in Cornwall, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas, the three places he spent his childhood. He also made an acclaimed and unusual podcast with legendary US anchor Keith Olbermann and his wife Sara. Texting Keith Olbermann is still available via BBC Sounds.
Ros is in demand internationally as a speaker on global affairs, journalism, media, innovation, creativity and cultural change.