Nelufar Hedayat is an Emmy and Gracie award-winning Afghan-British journalist, producer, director, and presenter whose powerful body of work spans critical global issues, from trafficking and food systems to the climate crisis and culture.
Born in Kabul and arriving in the UK as a child refugee, she brings a unique, empathetic lens to her storytelling. This perspective is matched by a fearless willingness to go where others might not, to uncover original stories and bring to light the reality of this vast and complex world. Driven by a desire to meet people from diverse communities and share their perspectives through immersive, honest exchange.
Her award-winning documentaries, including The Traffickers, Food Exposed, Generation C, and Plastic Time Bomb, have aired on major international platforms. Nelufar is also an established writer and an acclaimed podcast producer and host of captivating shows like Kabul Falling, Course Correction, and Ritually. Beyond her on-screen and audio work, she has MC'ed, moderated, and hosted events globally, from the Palace of Nations in Geneva to the Royal Albert Hall in London.
CHAPTER I
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
AN UNSETTLED BEGINNING
I was born in Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. My earliest memories are of loud bangs and seeing my mum's troubled face. Kabul was in the middle of a civil war. My mum Patuni made the impossible choice between leaving her homeland for our safety. And so at the age of one, I became a refugee.
A SCATTERED CHILDHOOD
My family and I went from place to place to try to start a new life but that was hard. I didn’t really get to go to school property until I was 6-ish. But when I lived in Pakistan, I got to learn two whole new languages (I didn’t know English yet but Urdu and Hindi came easy). Life was better and my little sister Mursal joined our growing family.
DESTINATION UNITED KINGDOM
At the age of 7 I landed in the U.K and London became my forever home. I was shocked by how quiet it was in this new country. Everyone in my school (yes! finally, a school to go to) spoke a completely different language and I made friends with people from all over the world. I learned English watching SMTV live and CBBC in one summer and settled into my new life.
CHAPTER II
BECOMING A STORYTELLER
A first class degree in English literature and I had the foundation I needed in writing stories that last the test of time and grabbed attention. My First documentary was for the BBC. I wanted to find out what my life would be like if I stayed in Afghanistan and hadn't been made a refugee called "Woman, Weddings, War and Me."
When I got the call to join the BBC Newsround team, I think I had to hold my breath so I didn’t shout with joy. For 3 years I got to present the news for children. This is where my journalism training started but I still feel like I'm learning all the time.
My journey has taken me to some exciting and unique places all over the world interviewing Prime ministers, criminals and celebrities alike.
I found myself drawn to war zones and hostile environments all over the world trying to understand what it’s like for people living as my whole family did, in a state of military warfare. I had to understand. My mum would pray for me each time I was sent on assignment. Riots and Revolutions and Shot for Going to School shocked me and stayed with me forever.
I’ve been on assignment dozens of times, travelled the world, seeking the stories that excite and surprise me and have uncovered things kept hidden from us. My mission since the beginning has been the same: follow the light of the truth, connect the facts as I find them and show the world what I find.
I’m not slowing down, in fact I’m creating and contributing more than ever as I build community and take on bigger challenges like making impactful documentaries, writing about things that matter to me and being part of teams that are looking to break the mould and push through the changes we want to see in this world
CHAPTER III
THE BODY OF WORK
Check out just a flavour of Nelufar's work in documentaries, Podcasts and hosting live events.
DOCUMENTARY
PODCASTS
OTHER
THE TRAFFICKERS
Netflix, Fremantle
8 episodes
Investigating global trafficking networks, The Traffickers exposes the hidden systems behind human, wildlife and resource underworld, shining a light on stories that often go unheard.
RITUALLY
2 Seasons
Nelufar hosts and produces this exploration into the world of rituals with her feet firmly on 'terra secular' to see if any of them can make us feel better in our modern lives.
JEREMY VINE
SHOW
Live on Channel 5
As a regular panellist, Nelufar analyses and debates the day's top news stories.
PAYDIRT
Possible Worlds
YouTube
Our soil is dying… How did we get here? And who are the thinkers and doers that will get down and dirty to fix this?
KABUL FALLING
Brazen Media
8 episodes
A thrilling limited series documenting the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Told through the voices of those who lived it.
UNITED NATIONS
Live Events
Hosting high level meetings, award ceremonies and events for the IMO, UNHCR, WHO and the UN Youth Envoy.
PLASTIC TIME BOMB
Newsy
8 episodes
In this Emmy award winning doc, Nelufar tracks the failures of global plastic recycling revealing the hidden environmental and social consequences of the world’s plastic addiction.
COURSE CORRECTION
Doha Debates
3 Seasons
Hosted conversations examining societal shifts and global change, bringing insight into the ways our world is evolving. bridging the gap in our divided world.
THE STORY OF GOD
WITH MORGAN FREEMAN
National Geographic
Nelufar joins as "Seeker" to three stories in this acclaimed series, exploring faith, spirituality and human belief systems worldwide.
GENERATION C
SVT
4 episodes
A multi-part series exploring how young people around the globe navigated life, work and education during the COVID-19 pandemic
THE CONVERSATION
BBC World Service
6 episodes
Nelufar brings together two women from different parts of the world to talk about their shared passion, career or experience exploring how their unique lives bring them together in a universally human way
THE INTERVIEW:
YUVAL HARARI
DOHA DEBATES
Interview
Nelufar sits down with renowned philosopher and writer Yuval Noah Harari to discuss the Big Questions of life and humanity.
CHAPTER IV
FEATURED ON
HIGHLIGHTS & RECOGNITION
CHAPTER V
GRACIE AWARD
Correspondent of the Year
ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS
Reporter
EMMY AWARD
Director & Correspondent
ASIAN MEDIA AWARDS
Journalist of the Year
& Best Investigation
NOMINEE
Narrator
SIGNAL AWARD
Correspondent
EXCELLENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING
THE SCRIPPS HOWARD AWARD