Last updated February 2007
Category: News
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Brian Hanrahan has been a foreign correspondent for 20 years with a ringside
seat at many major international events.
He was the BBC correspondent during the Falklands War and later published his
dispatches in I Counted Them All Out And I Counted Them All Back.
He covered Asia from a base in Hong Kong during the Eighties, observing the
reforms of Deng Xioping in China, the assassination of Mrs Ghandi and the
succession of her son as Indian Prime Minister.
He moved to Moscow when Gorbachev became the Soviet leader and reported on the
country's struggle to reform.
In 1989 he was present in Tiananmen Square; in Poland for the installation of
the first non-communist government in eastern Europe; at the fall of the Berlin
Wall; and during the Romanian revolution.
After that he became Diplomatic Editor - interpreting international affairs
from London and travelling the world regularly for a close-up view,
particularly during the Balkan wars and the Middle East peace process.
Following the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001,
Brian reported live from BBC World's London studios where he offered political
analysis as the events unfolded.
He went to New York shortly afterwards to continue his coverage and contributed
to the BBC book The Day That Shook The World, a compilation of personal
accounts from BBC journalists.
He can now be heard presenting BBC Radio current affairs programmes such as The
World At One and The World Tonight (both Radio 4), as well as special TV programmes on major
international or historical events.
These have included the anniversary of D-Day and of the end of the Second World War, the trial of President Milosevic of Serbia, and
the events surrounding the death of President Assad of Syria.
Brian is also part of the BBC's commentary team for ceremonial and state
occasions.
He contributed to the funerals of Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, the
Millennium celebrations, the death of Pope John Paul II, and the election of
his successor.
