Saleyha Ahsan
Saleyha is an emergency medicine doctor, broadcaster and filmmaker. I have reported for Trust Me I’m a Doctor (BBC2), Truth About Fat (BBC 2), Horizon – The Longitudinal Prize (BBC 2), Fast Tales (BBC 1), Newsnight (BBC 2), Channel 4 News (C4) and The One Show (BBC1). She is committed to news, current and foreign affairs and my content covers MENA, NHS, global health, conflict, human rights and social affairs. Passionate about storytelling, Saleyha also writes drama based on stories inspired from my journalism. Her work has been performed on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Scotland.
Film
Saleyha has made unscripted films for broadcast and festival screenings. She won Best International Film for her all-female crewed and cast film My Mother’s Daughter at the Parvani Etsami Films Festival, Tehran and Best European Film at the Pangea Film Festival, Los Angeles. The film was made through the Scottish Screen initiative Bridging the Gap. Saleyha is a self-shooting PD and her work is often based on secured access projects.
Television
Saleyha is a on-screen commentator on a variety of subject that reflects her breadth of subject matter knowledge. She covers health, science, global health, conflict, politics and current affairs. She appears on The Jeremy Vine Show (Channel 5) and Good Morning Britain (ITV) regularly. Saleyha also has presented both short and hour-long content across channels.
Radio
Saleyha’s broadcast career began in radio and she remains passionate about this media. She presented three episodes of BBC Inside Health in 2020, with her final episode comprising of a special access program that covered Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor prepping for Covid19. She was the first reporter nationally to gain access to a hospital during the pandemic.
Gallery
Filmmaker
A Doctor’s Story
Shot, produced and directed by Saleyha, A Doctor’s Story is based in Bangor, North Wales during the second wave of the covid pandemic. She follows colleagues and patients in this exclusive access documentary made for Channel 4 Dispatches. Receiving pick of the day and 5 star ratings in reviews across publications.
Reporter
Trust Me I’m A Doctor
Saleyha was a co-presenter for 6 series of the award nominated specialist factual series, Trust Me I’m a Doctor (BBC2). Her areas covered focused on her expertise as an emergency medicine doctor and included covering life saving skills to understanding sepsis. During a special episode Saleyha took part in a study in Israel which involved analysis of her gut bacteria to help develop a more personalised dietary plan.
Commentator
The Jeremy Vine show
Saleyha is a regular commentator across television and radio. She has been a panelist on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions and is a regular on The Jeremy Vine Show. She is passionate about news and current affairs and is able to speak across subject matter including health, NHS, science, global health, politics, foreign affairs and conflict.
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ConflictS of interest
Dr Saleyha Ahsan is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Cambridge within sociology looking at the impact of attacks against healthcare in armed conflict.
Saleyha is a trustee for Internews Europe, Action on Armed Violence, Free to Run, Women in Global Health UK and the Scottish Documentary Institute.
Saleyha has been an annual judge across differing categories for the RTS awards including Home Current Affairs and Daily News Programme of the Year.