Reya El Salahi on the Israeli side of the West Bank Barrier in East Jerusalem © Adam Patterson 2011

Reya El-Salahi, a 2010 graduate from LCC’s PgDip Broadcast Journalism course, appeared on TV last night (14 Nov) to present the BBC3 documentary, ‘Mixed up in the Middle East.’

With an Arab Muslim dad and a Jewish mum, Reya journeys from Britain to Israel to try to understand the roots of the conflict in the Middle East from both sides.

Reya visits a home in Jabaliya Refugee Camp in Gaza and meets Eman the young woman who lives there with her family. (l-r) Eman Raffie, little girl (name unknown), Ibrahim, Reya El Salahi, little girl (name unknown) © Adam Patterson 2011

Reya, who has been working as a presenter for BBC Radio Nottingham for the past two years, tells us how the opportunity to present the programme came about:

“…the BBC3 current affairs team heard about me (and my mixed background) and got in touch to see if I’d be interested in presenting a documentary about the conflict in the Middle East aimed a young audience. Which – of course – I jumped at!”

Reya El Salahi chats to Lieutenant Keren Hajioff of the Israeli Defence Force at the end of the day spent on IDF base in Mitzpe Ramon, southern Israel © Adam Patterson 2011

She flew to Israel to start shooting the documentary a couple of months after graduating from LCC.  Alongside that she has continued to present her radio show for BBC Radio Nottingham as well as a fashion, health and beauty show for Brit Asia TV.

See the programme on BBC iPlayer and read more about Reya’s experience on her blog