Sankha Guha is a familiar face on prime time television. His career as a reporter, producer and presenter has spanned some of the landmark programmes in recent times on CHANNEL 4, ITV and the BBC. He is established as the BBC’s premier on-screen travel specialist.

Sankha is also one of the best known travel writers in the UK. He writes for magazines and national newspapers including the FINANCIAL TIMES, the OBSERVER, DAILY MAIL and the INDEPENDENT. He also wrote a weekly travel column for the INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY. Sankha has launched his innovative imprint of city guides 24 HOURS IN THE CITY to considerable critical acclaim (see below).

Sankha began his career on the Channel 4 youth programme NETWORK 7, winning a British academy award for innovation. His screen debut (robbing banks on a live outside broadcast) was featured at the BAFTA awards ceremony.

It wasn’t long before Sankha moved on to join the BBC. Sankha brought his irreverent wit and journalistic skills to the award winning ROUGH GUIDE TO THE WORLD (BBC2) travel series that was a ratings winner and a critical success. At the same time he was also responsible for many of the stylish reports which put REPORTAGE (BBC2) on the map.

Between series, Sankha fronted the consumer strand CHECKOUT (Channel 4) and found time to produce and direct films for EUROPE EXPRESS (Channel 4) and a documentary on the media war between America and Cuba for THE MEDIA SHOW (Channel 4).

Sankha went to ITN as their TOKYO CORRESPONDENT. He was the Japan based anchor for CHANNEL FOUR DAILY (Channel 4) and reported for all ITN programmes. Back in London, Sankha worked on the re-launch of NEWS AT TEN (ITV), and as a correspondent for CHANNEL FOUR NEWS.

Sankha was recruited as a reporter to the prime time current affairs show HERE AND NOW (BBC1), and remained with the series from pilot to its final programme five years later. Sankha is the longest standing presenter on HOLIDAY and its various stable mates like SUMMER HOLIDAY and HOLIDAY ON A SHOESTRING (all BBC1). He also anchored WATCHDOG spin-off ON THE HOUSE (BBC1). Sankha hosted the 1999 ASIA AWARDS (BBC2), and in 2000 he wrote and presented a campaigning documentary on the plight of trekking porters in Nepal, CARRYING THE BURDEN  (BBC2). In 2005 he hosted TOUR DE FRANCE : THE TRAVELLER’S GUIDE a two hour special for the Travel Channel in the USA.

Sankha's radio credits includes the drama documentary THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (Radio4), reports for NEWSBEAT (Radio 1), TODAY (Radio 4) and THE E-GENERATION (Radio 5 Live) which won the ISDD Awards for Best Radio Programme 1998. In 2004 he wrote and presented the 60 minute documentary BOLLYWOOD DREAMS (Radio 2).

Sankha’s current project is 24 HOURS IN THE CITY. He is currently presenting and producing 24 HOURS IN PHILADELPHIA for the Travel Channel, Discovery Network. The television series is based on his innovative city guide imprint. Some reaction to Sankha’s first book 24 HOURS IN THE CITY : TALLINN about the buzzing capital city of Estonia:-

Having inspired a whole generation to globetrot in style Sankha Guha has turned his journalistic talents to re-inventing the travel guide book with 24 Hours in the City. Glossy pages stuffed with super-slick photography. (Wallpaper* magazine)

Sankha Guha has created a set of cool, forward-thinking travel guides. (SHE magazine)

There are hundreds of guide books but this is different. It gives you a completely different view, it looks completely different – more like a cool magazine. (Excess Baggage, BBC Radio4)

Categories:
Corporate
Journalists & Columnists
News & Current Affairs
Travel

Credits:
Here & Now (BBC 1)
Holiday On A Shoestring (BBC 1)
Inside Out (BBC 1)
Rough Guide to the World
(BBC 2)