Gavin Esler

Biography

Award winning broadcaster and podcaster, journalist and writer Gavin Esler is the winner of a Royal Television Society award, a Sony Gold (radio) award, and two Lovie awards for his podcast series about Vladimir Putin, The Big Steal, which has also been nominated for the Webby Award for Best Documentary Podcast.

Known for his reporting and presenting work at the BBC, Gavin has been the main presenter on Dateline London on the BBC News Channel, BBC World and Hardtalk. He was the BBC’s Chief North America Correspondent for eight years, based in Washington frequently reporting from the White House. On his return to the UK, Gavin joined the presenting team on Newsnight.

Gavin’s book Lessons from the Top was inspired by his conversations and interviews with heads of state and world leaders including Bill Clinton, Angela Merkel, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher, and other accomplished communicators ranging from Dolly Parton and Angelina Jolie to leaders of terrorist groups. The book examines how successful leaders tell stories to educate, persuade and bring about change. In his book How Britain Ends Gavin explores the possibility of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reinventing itself or coming to an end.

In his podcast This Is Not A Drill Gavin examines power rivalries, corruption, disinformation, climate upheavals and raw realpolitik that could be pushing our world to the brink of disaster, and will cover topics including Iran’s influence in the Middle East, the forces pushing Trump to the White House to Beijing’s ambitions across the South China Sea.

He is a voting member of BAFTA, Chancellor of the University of Kent and a visiting lecturer in various academic institutions, large corporations, and public service organisations including the British military.