Alastair Leithead

Alastair Leithead, born in 1972 in Amersham, England, is a British journalist with a distinguished career as the BBC’s international correspondent. With a degree in Geography from the University of Manchester, he began his career at the Newcastle Evening Chronicle and BBC Radio Newcastle, before venturing into international journalism.

Throughout his career, Leithead has been based in various regions, including Africa and Asia, and has covered significant events such as the war in Afghanistan and the refugee crisis in South Sudan. Between 2015 and 2019, he served as the BBC’s Africa correspondent, based in Nairobi. His journalistic work has earned him awards such as the Bayeux-Calvados Award for War Correspondents in 2007, as well as nominations for BAFTA and the Royal Television Society.

Leithead currently lives in Portugal, where he works as a freelance journalist, exploring new forms of storytelling, including virtual reality filmmaking. He shares his experiences and reflections on living off the grid in Portugal through his newsletter and social media presence.