Behnaz Akhgar

Behnaz Akhgar (Persian: بهناز اخگر‎; born 1980 [1]) is a British weather presenter of Iranian origin currently working for BBC's Wales Today. She broadcasts the morning and weekend bulletins with Sue Charles, and acts as a relief presenter for meteorologist Derek Brockway.[2] Behnaz, often called Benni, is from a Persian-Welsh background; her first language is Persian.[3]

She entered the Miss Wales pageant in 1998.

Early life

Akhgar was born in Shiraz, Iran.[3] She moved to Swansea when she was 10 years old, she attended Dynevor comprehensive school where coincidentally her parents opened a shop literally around the corner from there named "Dagwood's";[4] she has lived in Wales ever since.[3] When she arrived in Britain she spoke no English. She attended the University of Glamorgan where she gained a BA in communication studies, followed by completion of a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism at Cardiff University.[5]

Career

Akhgar joined the BBC in 2001, working behind the scenes before becoming a picture editor and video journalist. During this time, she applied for weather-presenting jobs, landing her current role in 2008 – on her third attempt.[6]

Akhgar presents the morning and weekend weather bulletins with Sue Charles, and acts as a relief presenter for meteorologist Derek Brockway. She also presents regular bulletins on BBC Radio Wales throughout the day. She has described the harassment she experiences as a female forecaster from "geeks" who complain about her glamorous appearance.[4] In 2012 an error resulted in the weather map behind her showing a temperature of −99 degrees C in Bangor, Wales.[7]

Akhgar has also broadcast features on the BBC World Service about the plight of women in the developing world.

In 2016, she appeared on the BBC One programme "Search For A*" alongside other celebrities Wynne Evans and Omar Hamdi.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Behnaz Akhgar's health and body secrets". 7 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "BBC Press Office". Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  3. 1 2 3 "Cilt Cymru Celebrity linguists: Behnaz Akhgar". CiLT Cymru. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  4. 1 2 "Weirdo cloud on horizon for weather girl Behnaz". WalesOnline. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Behnaz Akhgar, Elite Celebrity Management. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  6. ↑ "Ps and Qs: Behnaz Akhgar". Western Mail. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  7. ↑ Leon Watson (3 February 2012). "That really is a big freeze! Weather forecast viewers left shocked by map showing temperature of −99C in Bangor". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Search for A* - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.