Barbara Serra Speaker Profile

News presenter and correspondent with Al Jazeera English

Barbara Serra anchors the main news programmes from Al Jazeera’s London broadcast centre and has also reported extensively from across Europe and the Middle East, including Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. She travelled with Pope Benedict XVI on his trip to the Holy Land in May 2009 as part of his accredited press entourage and regularly interviews leading politicians and newsmakers, such as Middle East Envoy Tony Blair, Queen Noor of Jordan and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Prior to joining Al Jazeera in 2006, Barbara was a reporter with Sky News, where she reported on domestic and international stories, from the death on Pope John Paul II to the Michael Jackson trial. In 2005 she started presenting the Sky News produced “Five News” on Channel Five, becoming the first non-native english speaker to anchor a prime time terrestrial news programme in the UK. Barbara began her career at the BBC in 2000, working on Radio 4’s Today Programme, Radio 5Live and BBC London TV News.

Barbara is Italian born, and regularly appears on Italian media. She co-presents a weekly programme on RAI TV, and frequently contributes in press and broadcasting on issues ranging from freedom of the press and the Middle East conflict, to feminism and the role of women in media.

Barbara is bilingual English/Italian and fluent in French. She holds a degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a Masters in Journalism from London’s City University.