Clive Myrie is a television news journalist, BBC World Affairs Correspondent and Presenter on BBC News. He has reported from more than 80 countries, covering among other stories the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, President Obama’s election and Nelson Mandela’s funeral. Since joining the BBC in 1988, he has won awards in the UK, France and the United States, and was part of the team shortlisted for a BAFTA, for coverage of terrible floods in Mozambique in 2000.
His interest in journalism started at an early age, around seven years old, growing up in Bolton in Lancashire. Seeing Sir Trevor McDonald OBE on television was an inspiration. In the early 1980s, journalism focussed degrees and courses were not widely available, so Clive chose to study law at the University of Sussex. During his time as a student, he worked on the campus radio station and applied for the prestigious BBC reporters training scheme upon graduating. Following attachments at various local BBC radio stations, Clive settled at Radio Bristol.
He then joined IRN, a news production company for independent radio stations, where he began reporting on national and international stories. During this time he travelled around the UK and reported on the troubles in Northern Ireland. He then got a break in television news when he took a position in the London newsroom at BSB (now Sky News). A stint in television after that back at the BBC in Bristol, led to a full time position in the London BBC Network newsroom, working in radio and TV.
A continued interest in international affairs saw Clive posted to Tokyo for a year, Los Angeles for four years, Johannesburg for 18 months, Singapore for three years, Washington for two years, and then back to Europe, where he spent two years in both Paris and Brussels, before returning to London as a presenter on the BBC News Channel.
The Award of Honorary Doctor of the University is bestowed upon Clive in recognition of his notable achievements as a multi-award winning journalist and his reporting and analysis of world events and issues central to contemporary society. It also acknowledges his role as a spokesperson and advocate for the professional advancement of graduates from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.