Frank Gardner

Frank Gardner has been the BBC’s Security Correspondent since 2002, delivering incisive reporting on global security issues from Ukraine and Gaza to Afghanistan, Colombia, and even the Arctic. In 2004, while on assignment in Saudi Arabia, Frank was shot six times by Al-Qaida terrorists in a brutal attack that tragically claimed the life of his cameraman. Remarkably, he survived and continues to bring unparalleled insight to some of the world's most complex stories.

A graduate of Exeter University with a degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Frank also holds honorary doctorates from several UK universities. In recognition of his exceptional journalism, he was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 and named Person of the Year by the UK Press Gazette. His diverse background includes six years as an Infantry Officer in the British Army Reserves and a stint in investment banking in New York and Bahrain before joining the BBC.

Frank is also a bestselling author, known for his gripping books, including his autobiography Blood & Sand and his latest spy thriller Invasion, released in paperback in 2025. Beyond his work in journalism and writing, Frank is an avid nature photographer and serves as President of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). His passion for storytelling and the natural world continues to inspire and inform audiences around the globe.