Our Chancellor

About Anita Rani

The Bradford-born television and radio presenter was installed as the University of Bradford’s Chancellor in Spring 2023.

As Chancellor, Anita is the formal head of the institution and plays a key role in University life. Her official duties include conferring degrees on graduating students and chairing the University’s Court.

Anita is an international ambassador for the institution.

Having carved a space for herself as one of the few - if not the first - Asian women to host documentaries, factual, and entertainment programmes on every major broadcaster, Anita is a much-loved household name.

With her unique, enthusiastic and optimistic approach, Anita takes everything in her stride, saying of herself:

‘I do not allow myself to worry about my gender, my race, my nationality or my Yorkshire-ness. In terms of women’s rights there is still a lot that needs to be done, not just in Britain, but globally. But, even if you do have to work a bit harder than the next person, that just makes you better.’

Anita Rani - Chancellor

An RTS Award winning broadcaster with a career spanning nearly 20 years, Anita Rani is a hugely popular presenter with TV audiences. As one of the lead presenters on BBC One’s Countryfile, Anita has become a familiar face on British television. Also presenting a range of shows including Secret Spenders, Aldi’s Next Big Thing, and Britain by Beach for Channel 4 as well as a range of explorative documentaries for the BBC including Bollywood: The World’s Biggest Film Industry; My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947 and more recently War on Plastics with Hugh and Anita alongside Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Recently she’s seen presenting the brand new game show Fastest Finger First for ITV.

Growing up in Bradford, Anita had her own radio show on Sunrise Radio at the age of 14 and has loved working within radio ever since. She enjoyed previously working for BBC Asian Network and Radio 6 Music and has continued to develop her relationship with radio ever since, joining the BBC’s Asian Network in 2005. She covers numerous popular slots for BBC Radio 2 and is the main host of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour alongside Emma Barnett.

Her debut book The Right Sort of Girl was released in 2021, documenting her upbringing and the lessons she’s learnt growing up navigating her Indian world at home and the British world outside. It became a Sunday Times bestseller and received rave reviews upon release.