Behnaz Akhgar
Behnaz Akhgar (Persian: بهناز اخگر; born 1980 [1]) is an Iranian-Welsh weather presenter of Iranian origin currently working for BBC's Wales Today. She broadcasts the morning and weekend bulletins with Sue Charles, and acts as a relief presenter for meteorologist Derek Brockway.[2] Behnaz, often called Benni, is from a Persian-Welsh background; her first language is Persian.[3]
She entered the Miss Wales pageant in 1998.[4]
Early life
Akhgar was born in Shiraz, Iran.[3] She moved to Swansea when she was 10 years old, she attended Terrace Road school followed by Dynevor comprehensive school where coincidentally her parents opened a shop literally around the corner from there named "Dagwood's";[5] she has lived in Wales ever since.[3] When she arrived in Britain she spoke no English. She attended the University of Glamorgan where she gained a BA in communication studies, followed by completion of a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism at Cardiff University.[6]
Career
Akhgar joined the BBC in 2001, working behind the scenes before becoming a picture editor and video journalist. During this time, she applied for weather-presenting jobs, landing her current role in 2008 – on her third attempt.[7]
Akhgar presents the morning and weekend weather bulletins with Sue Charles, and acts as a relief presenter for meteorologist Derek Brockway. She also presents regular bulletins on BBC Radio Wales throughout the day. She has described the harassment she experiences as a female forecaster from "geeks" who complain about her glamorous appearance.[5] In 2012 an error resulted in the weather map behind her showing a temperature of −99 degrees C in Bangor, Wales.[8]
Akhgar has also broadcast features on the BBC World Service about the plight of women in the developing world.
In 2016, she appeared on the BBC One programme "Search For A*" alongside other celebrities Wynne Evans and Omar Hamdi.[9]
References
- ^ "Behnaz Akhgar's health and body secrets". 7 July 2012.
- ^ "BBC Press Office". Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ a b c "Cilt Cymru Celebrity linguists: Behnaz Akhgar". CiLT Cymru. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ Price, Karen (7 November 2009). "The 50 sexiest women in Wales". Media Wales.
- ^ a b "Weirdo cloud on horizon for weather girl Behnaz". WalesOnline. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ Behnaz Akhgar, Elite Celebrity Management. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
- ^ "Ps and Qs: Behnaz Akhgar". Western Mail. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ Leon Watson (3 February 2012). "That really is a big freeze! Weather forecast viewers left shocked by map showing temperature of −99C in Bangor". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "Search for A* - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
External links
- Behnaz Akhgar (BBC Radio Wales)
- Sunday Morning with Behnaz Akhgar (BBC Radio Wales)