23 Facts About Sonali Shah

Sonali Shah is well known for presenting the BBC's children's news programme Newsround from July 2006 until November 2011.

Some other notable programmes Shah has presented are The National Lottery Draws, Crimewatch and Watchdog.

Sonali Shah Gudka was born in Edgware, London to immigrant Indian parents, who run a pharmacy.

Sonali Shah trained as a dancer for over 10 years, studying Indian classical, Indian folk and Streetdance.

Sonali Shah attended Longfield First and Middle School, and went on to Nower Hill High School in Harrow.

Sonali Shah studied broadcast journalism at the Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism at Nottingham Trent University.

Sonali Shah then began reporting for Weekend Business, as well as Wake Up to Money and 5 live Money.

Sonali Shah reported for Sportsround, and posted an online diary from the 2010 Commonwealth Games for the Newsround website.

Sonali Shah made a number of Newsround Specials, including two documentaries from Afghanistan in 2010, which were shown on the BBC News Channel.

On 9 November 2011, Sonali Shah announced she was leaving Newsround before it moved to its new base at MediaCityUK in Salford.

In 2010, Sonali Shah went to Delhi, to present coverage of the Commonwealth Games for BBC Sport on BBC One and BBC Two.

Sonali Shah was one of the main reporters for the events coverage.

Sonali Shah was one of three BBC presenters, along with Manish Bhasin and Rishi Persad, at the 2011 Cricket World Cup in the Indian sub-continent.

Sonali Shah anchored shows on BBC Three during the games as well as being stationed at Lords for the archery.

In 2009, Sonali Shah made a move to the BBC News Channel's Business News on top of Newsround.

Sonali Shah can be seen occasionally broadcasting in the afternoon and evening.

Sonali Shah presented the daytime bulletin on the weekend and remains a relief presenter.

Sonali Shah was among the BBC News team for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II coverage on BBC One.

In May 2014, Sonali Shah became a sports reporter for Today, the daily morning news programme for BBC Radio 4.

In 2014, Sonali Shah became a presenter of house-buying BBC TV show Escape to the Country.

Sonali Shah presented the spin-off to this programme, "Escape to the Perfect Town" and "I Escaped to the Country".

Sonali Shah was one of the seven public figures who entered the Pilgrimage series, in 2024, following the North Wales Pilgrim's Way.

Sonali Shah is 5ft 1in tall and "needs heels for interviewing tall sportspeople".