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From sport to culture, documentaries to music, Nihal has covered a wide range of areas as a presenter, commentator and writer. The host of Headliners with Nihal Arthanayake, a weekly long-form interview podcast and Radio 5 Live show, he has been a DJ on Radio 1, presented Olympic Games coverage on the BBC, and has written Let's Talk: How to Have Better Conversations, exploring effective dialogue, communication and fostering positive discussions in an increasingly fractured world.
Nihal Arthanayake is a broadcaster, author and cultural commentator and a familar voice across an array of programmes on radio and television, covering culture to sport. He hosts Headliners with Nihal Arthanayake, a weekly long-form interview podcast and show on BBC Radio 5 Live. His career spans BBC Radio 1, where he was a DJ and presenter, the BBC Asian Network, where he hosted a phone-in show, and presenting across the BBC for major sporting events including the Commonwealth Games, and the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. He has also hosted documentaries for the BBC World Service and Radio 4.
Drawing from three decades in the media, Nihal explores how to have better conversations in an increasingly fractured world. His book Let's Talk: How to Have Better Conversations examines why effective dialogue leads to greater fulfilment in our personal and professional lives, yet evidence points towards us sharing fewer interactions. From ever-decreasing face-to-face meetings to echo chambers online, he addresses how organisations can foster positive discussions without confrontation, combining his experiences as an interviewer with expert analysis and celebrity insights on the secrets and psychology behind successful communication.
Nihal began his career as a record industry publicist, working with artists from Mos Def to Sir Elton John, before becoming a recording artist himself under the name MC Krayzee A. He joined BBC Radio 1 as a co-host before fronting his own shows, including Review with Nihal, which won Best Radio Show at the UK Asian Music Awards. He has also worked as a consultant for Sony Music, Warner UK and Universal Music Group, competed in Celebrity MasterChef, co-hosted BBC2's Asian music, arts and culture show Desi DNA, and appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Nihal has been a trustee of the Southbank Centre and the British Council, and has spoken publicly about diversity, especially in the arts, media and culture, and how organisations can implement change. He serves as a trustee of Factory International, ambassador for the British Asian Trust, and ambassador for the Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity. He has hosted live events for clients including Google, Hugo Boss and Soho House, and conducted in-conversation events with authors including Professor Richard Dawkins, Jon Sopel, Matt Haig, and Fran Lebowitz.
