Guest speaker series

At The School of Journalism your journalism studies are complemented by a whole host of guest speakers with a wealth of experience from across the industry. These vary course to course and are often related to the biggest news stories of the moment. Our speakers deliver sessions, run news conferences, host Q&As and much more! Here is a selection of our recent guest speakers and some of the advice they shared…

2025

April

Abigail Rabbett, London World editor

Conor Wilson, Daily Express reporter, David Averre, Daily Mail chief foreign reporter and Cyann Fielding, The Sun travel news reporter

Ollie Lewis, Sky News interviews producer

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by News Associates (@newsassociates)

March

Dave Woods, Sky Sports and former BBC commentator

Abigail Rabbett, London World editor

Miriam Walker-Khan, Sky Sports News diversity and inclusion reporter

James Gray, sports news correspondent at The I Paper

Tim Singleton, head of international news at Sky News

February

Sian Elvin, The Independent news editor

Ayaat Yassin-Kassab, MailOnline reporter, Madeline Sharratt, US reporter for The Independent, Amelia Stout, freelance reporter and assistant producer

Tom Earnshaw, LadBible trends and SEO editor

Sonny Jacobs, senior reporter for That’s TV

Hope Gallagher, engagement producer at Manchester Evening News

Hannah Robinson, Kennedy news reporter

Oliver Jervis, trainee sub-editor at Daily Mail

Stephanie Nourse, output producer at Sky News

Perkin Amalaraj, Daily Mail foreign news reporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by News Associates (@newsassociates)

 

January

Amardeep Bassey, freelance reporter and lecturer at De Montfort University

Rizwana Hamid, director of the centre of media monitoring

Sophie Elsworthy & Justin Williams, Insight X co-CEOs

Rachel Blundy, AFP deputy head of digital investigation

Craig Chisnall, The Athletic development director

Sarah Lester, Manchester Evening News editor

2024

December

Karen Edwards, freelance travel, lifestyle and entertainment journalist

Alice Reeves-Turner, Sky Sports assistant producer

Jack Zorab, freelance sports commentator

Aisha Sembhi, BBC video journalist

Alex Corns, freelance radio journalist

November 

Stephen Wright, Daily Mail associate editor (investigations)

Sam Blitz, Sky Sports football journalist

Matt Lawton, The Times chief sports correspondent

Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail football editor

Nesta McGregor, BBC Sport news journalist

Christopher Reidy, Sky Sports News reporter

Ronan Hughes, Sky News head of TV output

Lisa Valentine, Bury Times digital reporter,

Greta Simpson, Manchester Evening News community reporter and

Aisha Sembhi, BBC Sport digital video journalist

October

Jessica Sharkey, The Times news reporter

Annie Gouk, Reach data investigations editor

Constance Kampfner, The Times northern correspondent

Alina Khan, FT Adviser senior reporter, Zoë Crowther, PoliticsHome political reporter and Soraya Aslam, Good Morning Britain producer

David Keane, Kennedy News and Media Poppy Lindsey, Global Radio broadcast journalist

Richard Amofa, The Athletic staff editor

September

Ian Brunskill, The Times associate editor

Mat Kendrick, Reach head of regional sport

Richard Duggan, Newsquest north west regional editor

Tulsen Tollett, BBC World tv & radio sports presenter

Charlie Bennett, Sportsbeat executive editor, Tom Harle, Sportsbeat Olympics editor, and Megan Armitage, Sportsbeat multimedia journalist

Ben McCrum, SPORTbible junior sports journalist

Sophie Alexander, Sky News foreign news producer, and Adele-Momoko Fraser, Sky News international news editor

Ethan Davies, Manchester Evening News Local Democracy Reporter, Ella Wilcox, Warrington Guardian trainee multimedia journalist, and Hannah Robinson, Kennedy News and Media reporter

Maya Dhillon, Pulse features assistant, and Ollie Lewis, Sky News interview producer

Oli Gent, The Sunday Times & TNT Sports freelance sports journalist

Tim Singleton, Sky News head of international news

August

Lauren Probert, freelance journalist

Jem Collins, Journo Resources founder

Carla Rosch, BBC News journalist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by News Associates (@newsassociates)

 

 

July

Isabelle Casey, HELLO! Magazine online writer

Hannah Lovejoy, Greatest Hits Radio digital editor

June

Charlotte Livia Hall, Manchester Evening News local democracy reporter

Kumail Jaffer, Daily Mail political correspondent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by News Associates (@newsassociates)

 

 

May

Alice Gould, IPSO head of complaints, John Davidson, IPSO head of communications, and Elena Richards Coldicutt, IPSO engagement officer

Jane Bruccoleri-Aitchison, University Hospitals Dorset senior communications manager

Pete Grant, Newsquest digital content, social and audience manager

Rizwana Hamid, Centre for Media Monitoring director

April

Adonis Pratsides, The Sports Agents executive producer

Steve Forbes, talkSPORT sports news reader

Vanessa Brown, Financial Times world news digital editor

Ben Snowball, Eurosport and TNT Sports senior digital editor

Jayne Pearce and Andrew McMenamin, Pearce InternationalFriends of News Associates Jayne and Andrew deliver regular workshops on crisis communications for our sports journalism trainees.

February

Asyia Iftikhar, Former PinkNews entertainment reporter, Tilly Pearce, Former Daily Express deputy TV and showbiz editor and Joy, Bauer Media entertainment reporter and content producer

Hannah Robinson, Kennedy News and Media reporter and Ethan Davies Manchester Evening News local democracy reporter

Freya Gascoigne, Sky News news desk editor and Kristina Wemyss, Daily Mail trainee sub-editor

Svitlana Morenets, The Spectator staff writer

Karen Edwards, travel, lifestyle and entertainment freelance journalist. Click here to see what we learnt from this talk.

January

David Keane, Kennedy News & Media editor

Jem Collins, JournoResources founder

Paul Hudson, Daily Mail Paul delivered a session on column writing

Ian Chadband, AAP sports journalist

Tum Balogun, MailOnline sports reporter, Fadumo Olow, Sky Sports News reporter, Alasdair Hooper, Formula 1 duty editor and Ben Parsons, bunkered content producer

2023

December

Craig Chisnall, The Athletic development editor

Paul Hudson, Daily Mail  

November

Susie Rushton, The Telegraph Magazine deputy editor Susie shared invaluable advice with our third year trainees who were completing their magazine journalism project

Sarah Lester, Manchester Evening News editor

Alya Zayed, MyLondon executive editor and Unzela Khan, MyLondon race and diversity editor

October

Mary Isokariari, BBC freelance senior journalist and social media journalist Mary delivers regular social media masterclasses for our trainees.

Kamal Ahmed, The News Movement co-founder and editor-in-chief

Claire Rowden, MTV Movies social producer,  Neha Gohil, The News Movement correspondent,  Helen Thomas, VICE senior social editor and Stefan Frost, Sportsbeat social media executive

Matt Lawton, The Times chief sports correspondent

Zoe Crowther, PoliticsHome social media journalist

September

Tim Singleton, Sky News head of international news Tim is one of our course advisors and will be a regular visitor to the centre. In September, he spoke about his career, how breaking stories develop and shared tips on how to network.

Adam Wareing, Kennedy News & Media

James Holt, Manchester Evening News senior reporter

Abi Curran, Sportsbeat multimedia reporter

Claudia Savage, PA Media reporter

Molly Pavord, Splash News reporter

Eve Bennett, Sky News TV producer

August

Derek Brown, News UK executive creative director

Aaliyah Harry, Grazia news and entertainment writer and Isabelle Casey, HELLO! magazine online junior writer

July

Paul Hudson, Daily Mail Paul delivers regular sessions to our trainees on column writing

May

Tim Singleton, Sky News head of international news In May, he spoke about his journey from print to broadcast journalism and reviewed our trainees’ news bulletins.

Matthew Dickens, director and photographer at business-portraits.co.uk and imagecomms.com Matthew delivers a masterclass in photography on our NCTJ courses and summer school. 

April

Jonathan Liew, The Guardian sports writer Jonathan Zoomed into our Manchester classroom and shared advice on colour writing and gave our trainees feedback on their features.

Ronan Hughes, Sky News head of output In April, he ran a TV production workshop and reviewed our trainees’ video packages.

Inzamam Rashid, Sky News correspondent

Dharmesh Sheth, Sky Sports News presenter

Jo Wilson, Sky Sports News presenter

Jayne Pearce and Andrew McMenamin, Pearce International Friends of News Associates Jayne and Andrew regular deliver workshops on crisis communications for our sports journalism trainees.

February

Ian Brunskill and trainee journalists

Yennah Smart and Max Kendix joined our fast-track trainees for news conferences across our four Londoner sites.

Karen Edwards, travel, lifestyle and entertainment freelance journalist. Click here to see what we learnt from this talk.

2022

December

Jem Collins, Journo Resources founder Friend of News Associates Jem Collins regularly visits to run sessions on freelance journalism and pitching.

Tom Barclay, The Sun senior football writer

November

Doug Wills, Evening Standard editor Doug joins nearly every course to run mock news conferences for a super practical day-long exercise.

Tom Earnshaw, content editor LancsLive

Alex James, XS Manchester Breakfast Presenter

Ian Herbert, Daily Mail deputy chief sportswriter

October

Victoria Derbyshire, BBC broadcast journalist Click here to see what we learnt from this talk. 

Justin Menhenett, Solent News Agency editor

Tulsen Tollett, BBC News broadcaster

Rizwana Hamid, Centre for Media Monitoring director

Martin Lipton, The Sun chief sports reporter

Julie Etchingham, presenter and reporter for ITV News at Ten, ITV Tonight & Exposure

May

Joe Wallen, Telegraph south Asia correspondent

We regularly host free masterclasses, workshops and Q&As – sign up here.