Henry Bonsu

Last updated

Henry Bonsu (born 1967 [1] ) is a British radio presenter and former journalist. He presents on Thursday and Friday late-evenings on Times Radio. [2]

Contents

Background

Bonsu was born in Manchester and is of Ghanaian heritage. [3] He studied Modern Languages at Magdalen College, Oxford [4] between 1986 and 1990. [5]

Career

Bonsu initially worked as a print journalist at the Manchester Evening News and The Voice , [6] a newspaper covering issues affecting Black people in the UK. He then joined the BBC as a producer. [6] At the BBC, Bonsu he worked on several news and current affairs programmes which were broadcast on radio. [7] In the mid-1990s, Bonsu joined Black Britain, a programme on BBC Two. [8]

Bonsu carried out in-depth, documentary-style reporting for the BBC; for example, in 2001, Bonsu reported for Crossing Continents from Zurich about the demise of the airline Swissair. [9] Also for example, in 2007, Bonsu presented a series for BBC Radio 4 about those Africans who were perpetrators and perpetuators of the slave trade. [10]

In 2002, Bonsu started appearing regularly as a panellist on The Wright Stuff , [8] a morning news discussion and celebrity interview programme on Channel 5. In the same year, Bonsu began working as a reporter for Channel 4 breakfast show RI:SE from the point of its launch. [11]

In 2004, Bonsu was axed from BBC London 94.9 (now known as BBC Radio London), the BBC Local Radio station for London, because he was told he was "too intellectual" for the radio station. Following his axing, he accused the BBC of not adequately covering issues affecting Black people. [12] Bonsu helped to create Colourful Radio, a London radio station aimed at Black people which launched in 2006. [8] In 2007, he was presenting the station's drivetime show, which contained speech content aimed at Black people; in the same year, the station was broadcasting on digital radio. [13]

From 2009 until 2014, Bonsu presented the programme Shoot The Messenger on Vox Africa. From 2008 until 2011, he presented on BET International. From 2009 until 2015, he presented on Press TV, [14] a news channel funded by the Iranian government.

In the past, Bonsu has appeared regularly to review the following morning's newspapers on the BBC News channel's The Papers.

Bonsu joined Times Radio as a stand-in presenter in 2021, and in 2022 he was given the regular slots of 10pm-1am on Thursday and Friday nights. [15] He continues to present in these slots. [2] Bonsu's show is unique in that although the show covers hard-hitting and current affairs topics, Bonsu lets his midnight guest choose a snippet of a song to be played to start the midnight hour.

By 2022, Bonsu had carried out a considerable amount of conference moderation for the United Nations. [15] He has also moderated a range of other conferences on broad topics.

Bonsu is a regular panellist on Jeremy Vine, a weekday morning TV show on Channel 5 normally presented by Jeremy Vine in which guests talk about the morning's news. The show is the successor to The Wright Stuff, on which Bonsu also appeared regularly as a panellist.

Personal life

Bonsu is a fluent speaker of German and French. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria Hunniford</span> Northern Irish television presenter

Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford, OBE is a British television and radio presenter, broadcaster and singer originally from Northern Ireland. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as Rip Off Britain, and her regular appearances as a panellist on Loose Women. She has been a regular reporter on This Morning and The One Show. She also had a singing career between the 1960s and 1980s.

Peter Murray James,, known professionally as Pete Murray, is a British radio and television presenter and actor. He is known for his career with the BBC including stints on the Light Programme, Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 4. In the 1950s, Murray became one of Britain's first pop music television presenters, hosting the rock and roll programme Six-Five Special (1957–1958) and appearing as a regular panellist on Juke Box Jury (1959–1967). He was a recurring presence in the BBC's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. Murray returned to broadcasting for a Boom Radio special on Boxing Day 2021, over 70 years after his career began. He returned to the station on Boxing Day 2022 where he presented a two-hour show alongside his friend David Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Radio London</span> BBC Local Radio station for London

BBC Radio London is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater London.

Julia Hartley-Brewer is a conservative British radio presenter, political journalist, and newspaper columnist. She has hosted a radio show on Talkradio simulcast on Talk called Julia Hartley-Brewer on weekdays from 10am.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvette Fielding</span> English television presenter, producer and actress

Yvette Paula Fielding is an English television presenter, producer, actress, and writer. In 1987, aged 18, she became the youngest presenter on the BBC television programme Blue Peter. With her husband Karl Beattie, she presented the Most Haunted series on the Living channel, via their own production company, followed by Ghosthunting With..., establishing Fielding as 'first lady of the paranormal'. She has appeared in a wide range of other programmes, from The Wright Stuff to Through the Keyhole and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.

Anne Margaret Diamond is a British journalist, broadcaster, and children's health campaigner. She presently hosts the weekend breakfast show on GB News with Stephen Dixon as her co-presenter. She hosted Good Morning Britain for TV-am and Good Morning with Anne and Nick for BBC One, with Nick Owen. In 2023, she was made an OBE for her service to children's health and is the first non-medic to hold the Royal College of Paediatrics College Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Perkins</span> British actress and comedian (born 1969)

Susan Elizabeth Perkins is an English actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer. Originally coming to prominence through her comedy partnership with Mel Giedroyc in Mel and Sue, she progressed into radio and television presenting, notably of The Great British Bake Off (2010–2016), Insert Name Here (2016–2019) and Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Bates</span> English radio presenter

Simon Philip Bates is an English disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM. He hosted the breakfast show on Smooth Radio from January 2011 until March 2014, and took on the same role at BBC Radio Devon from January 2015 until January 2017. He was the first presenter of BBC Two's Food and Drink programme in 1982.

John Paul Ross is an English television and radio presenter, journalist and media personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Murray</span> Northern Irish broadcaster

Colin Murray is a radio and television presenter from Northern Ireland. He has hosted the Channel 4 game show Countdown since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaye Adams</span> Scottish television presenter and journalist (born 1962)

Kaye Adams is a Scottish television presenter and journalist. She was an anchor on ITV topical discussion show Loose Women from 1999 to 2006 and again from 2013 and was a regular panellist on Channel 5's daily morning show The Wright Stuff from 2007 until 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiona Phillips</span> English journalist and TV presenter (born 1961)

Fiona Phillips is an English journalist, broadcaster and television presenter. She is best known for presenting the ITV Breakfast programme GMTV Today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eamonn Holmes</span> Northern Irish television presenter (born 1959)

Eamonn Holmes is a Northern Irish broadcaster and journalist. He co-presented the breakfast television show GMTV (1993–2005) for ITV, before presenting Sunrise (2005–2016) for Sky News. Holmes co-presented ITV's This Morning (2006–2021) with his wife Ruth Langsford on Fridays and during the school holidays. In January 2022, he joined GB News to present its breakfast programme alongside Isabel Webster. He has also presented How the Other Half Lives (2015–2019) and It's Not Me, It's You (2016) for Channel 5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ade Adepitan</span> British television presenter and sportsman

Adedoyin Olayiwola "Ade" Adepitan is a Nigerian-born British television presenter and wheelchair basketball player. As a presenter, he has hosted a range of travel documentaries and sports programmes for BBC television. Adepitan is a disability advocate and one of the first physically disabled television presenters in the UK, with a career of over 20 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddy O'Connell</span> English television and radio presenter

Guy Patrick O'Connell is an English television and radio presenter. He presents BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme each Sunday morning. He is also an occasional presenter of the PM programme. O'Connell is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Rani</span> British broadcaster and journalist (born 1977)

Anita Rani Nazran, better known as Anita Rani, is a British radio and television presenter.

Liam James Halligan is a British economist, journalist, author and broadcaster. He was economics and business editor at GB News from its launch in June 2021 to June 2024.

<i>Jeremy Vine</i> (TV programme) British TV programme

Jeremy Vine and Storm Huntley are two continuation programmes from Channel 5's morning debate show The Wright Stuff, with Vine having his name as the programme title since 2018 and Huntley being listed for her segment of the ITN produced programme since June 2023.

Nana Akua Amoatemaa-Appiah is a British television presenter and journalist, currently working for GB News.

Phil Kennedy is a British broadcaster. He presents the podcast Phil Kennedy - Mildly Getting Away With It. His career includes work in British radio, television and podcasting.

References

  1. ↑ Mutsoli, Vivian (2022-06-10). "List of presenters who left BBC and where they are today". Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  2. 1 2 "Schedule | Times Radio | The Times and The Sunday Times". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  3. ↑ "Mr. Henry Bonsu | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  4. ↑ "Freelance journalist and Broadcaster, Henry Bonsu (Magdalen, 1986)". podcasts.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  5. ↑ "HENRY BONSU (MAGDALEN, 1986)". www.alumni.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  6. 1 2 "Henry Bonsu". www.speakerscorner.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  7. ↑ "HENRY BONSU (MAGDALEN, 1986)". www.alumni.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  8. 1 2 3 Bonsu, Henry. "Henry Bonsu: My Life In Media | The Independent | The Independent".
  9. ↑ "A nation in shock: Swissair crisis". BBC News. 2001-11-28. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  10. ↑ "BBC - (none) - Squaring the Triangle - 26 March 2007". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  11. ↑ "Channel 4 reveals morning Rise". 2002-04-11. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  12. ↑ Cozens, Claire (2004-03-09). "Axed DJ accuses BBC of failing black community". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  13. ↑ "No charges for slavery protester". BBC News. 2007-05-30. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  14. ↑ "SPEAKERS – Caribbean Food and Drink Conference" . Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  15. 1 2 "Times Radio launches new evening schedule for Autumn". RadioToday. 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  16. ↑ "Henry Bonsu". www.speakerscorner.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.