About Me
The first thing to say I guess is that I've been at this a while. I began the old-fashioned way in the mid-noughties, coming up through weekly and evening newspapers before moving into broadcasting. I spent six years in regional TV, reporting for both ITV and the BBC. Along the way, I picked up a few awards, including ITV's Reporter of the Year for my coverage of the 2006 Ipswich murders. I was also part of the ITN team nominated for an RTS award for the same story.
In 2008 I moved to Sky News, spending nearly five years on the road as a reporter, covering domestic and international stories. In 2012 I took a sabbatical and travelled to Afghanistan with BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service). I wanted to report from a warzone and this small, niche, broadcaster, with its close links to the military, provided the chance to embed with the troops at operating bases across Helmand. It was an incredible experience and in 2014 I joined the company full-time as a video journalist.
Since then, I've spent five years in Cyprus, living and working from RAF Akrotiri, and travelled to dozens of countries filming the military, from Iraq to Afghanistan and Somalia. I've produced a series on Climate Change; flown on and off four US aircraft carriers, and chased a U-2 spyplane down a runway in California. I've also had bit parts in the BBC series Spooks, the film Military Wives, and my role reporting on the Suffolk Murders was portrayed in the award-winning play and film London Road.
Since 2023 I've specialised solely on covering the war in Ukraine. I produce regular reports on the war itself, the tactics and strategies being used by both sides and the weaponry being employed. I also regularly contribute to the BFBS podcast Sitrep, where I discuss the war with former head of RUSI Prof Michael Clarke. This year the Sitrep team won a bronze at the Aria radio awards for our coverage of the battle for Kyiv. If you have a story then please get in touch at simon.newton@bfbs.com.