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{{Short description|British television and radio presenter}}
[[Image:Nikki_Bedi.jpg|right]]
{{BLP sources|date=February 2017}}
'''Nikki Bedi''' is a [[television presenter|television]] and [[radio presenter]].
{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nikki Bedi
| image = nikki bedi 2023 1.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Bedi at the [[British Library]] in 2023
| birth_name = Nikhila Moolgaoker<ref>A Full Life, Sabira Merchant, Mitali Parekh, Jaico Publishing House, 2022</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|9|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Aylesbury]], [[Buckinghamshire]], England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Radio presenter]]
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Kabir Bedi]]|1992|2005|end=divorce}}
}}
'''Nikhila Bedi''' ({{IPAc-en|pron|ˈ|b|eɪ|d|i}}; ''[[née]]'' '''Moolgaoker'''; 9 September 1966) is a British television and radio presenter, born to an [[India]]n father of [[Marathi people|Maharashtrian]] origin and an English mother. She was married to food stylist Sunil Vijayakar before her second marriage to [[Kabir Bedi]] from 1992 to 2005; she retained her married name after their divorce.<ref>A Full Life, Sabira Merchant, Mitali Parekh, Jaico Publishing House, 2022</ref>{{Page number|date=December 2024}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Martyris |first=Nina |date=2008-03-02 |title=Remember Nikki Gandhi Bedi? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/remember-nikki-gandhi-bedi/articleshow/2830093.cms |access-date=2023-07-21 |work=[[The Times of India]] |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> She describes herself as Indo-Anglian.<ref name=moc>{{Cite episode |title=Episode 1 |episode-link=The Museum of Curiosity#Series 12 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09kxt2b |access-date=8 January 2018 |series=The Museum of Curiosity |series-link=The Museum of Curiosity |first=Nikki |last=Bedi |network=[[BBC Radio 4]] |date=8 January 2018 |series-no=12 |number=1 |time=3 mins 18 secs |quote=I describe myself as Indo-Anglian. }}</ref>


She writes and presents ''The Arts Hour'' and ''The Arts Hour on Tour'' for the [[BBC World Service]], and co-hosts [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Saturday Live (radio series)|Saturday Live]]''.<ref name=moc />
Born Nikki Mulgaonkar in [[Aylesbury]] to an [[India]]n father of [[Maharashtra]]n [[Parsee]] origin and an English mother, she began her career in [[Mumbai]] (formerly known as [[Bombay]]). Both a stage and television [[actor|actress]], she worked with some of India’s finest directors; spotted by the UK’s [[Channel 4]], Nikki hosted ''Bombay Chat'', an on-location celebrity talk show. The success of this series confirmed that Nikki was destined to work as a presenter. [[Star TV]] gave her a primetime slot for ''Nikki Tonight'' which quickly proved to be Asia’s most widely viewed and controversial [[talk show]].


==Background==
Returning to the UK in 2000, she was the face of [[NBC Universal|Universal’s]] film channel ''The Studio'' for over 2 years and had her own Live film show on NOW.
Her paternal grandparents were the industrialist [[Sumant Moolgaokar]], head of [[Tata Motors]] and [[Tata Steel]], and social worker [[Leela Sumant Moolgaokar]], a pioneer of [[blood transfusion]] in India.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1380744471558623232 |user=nikkibedi |title=My grandfather Sumant Moolgaokar was the Chairman of @TataMotors. Here he is giving HRH Prince Philip a tour of the Telco plant in Jamshedpur. My Ajoba is in the driver’s seat. JRD Tata is in the back seat |first=Nikki |last=Bedi |date=9 April 2021}}</ref>


==Career==
Married to Sunil Vijaykar, she met [[Kabir Bedi]] during rehearsals of [[Othello]] in which both she and Kabir were appearing and left her husband for him in the late 1990's, on re-marrying after the divorce she adopted the name Nikki Bedi and although they divorced amicably in 2005 she retains her married name to this day.
Both a stage and television actress, Bedi began her career in [[Mumbai]]. Spotted by the UK's [[Channel 4]], she hosted ''Bombay Chat'', an on-location celebrity talk show. [[STAR TV (Asia)|Star TV]] gave her a primetime slot for ''Nikki Tonight'' which quickly proved to be Asia's most widely viewed and controversial talk show, although it was subsequently cancelled by Star TV after a guest, gay rights activist [[Ashok Row Kavi]], made a derogatory remark about [[Mahatma Gandhi]].


Bedi then moved to live and work for a time in Los Angeles, before returning to the UK in 2000 to be the face of [[NBC Universal|Universal's]] film channel The Studio for over two years. She also presented two live film shows for [[NOW.com|NOW]], ''Worldwide Screen'' and ''Bollywood Today''.
In 2003, while continuing her television work, Nikki began developing a career in radio. Along with appearances on LBC and [[BBC Radio 4]], she became a regular stand-in presenter for the [[BBC Asian Network]], most notably for the [[Sonia Deol]] show. In 2004 she became the presenter of a new BBC Asian Network Weekend morning programme called ''Hot Breakfast'' before taking over as presenter of the Weekday afternoon show, ''Drive'', in 2005.


In 2003, Bedi began working in radio, appearing on [[LBC]] and BBC Radio 4. In 2004, she became the presenter of a new weekend morning programme called ''Hot Breakfast'' on the [[BBC Asian Network]] before taking over as presenter of the weekday afternoon show, ''Drive'' in 2005. In May 2006, as part of wide-ranging schedule changes, she was given her own show called ''Nikki Bedi'' on the [[BBC Asian Network]]. The daily show featured music, films, books, art and all things cultural and included interviews with prominent figures from those worlds.
Having become one of the most popular voices on the Network, she was given her own format of show as part of the wide ranging schedule changes put in place in May 2006 and has since been presenting a programme called simply ''Nikki Bedi''. The show, which airs from 12:30 to 16:00 every weekday, features reports on Music, Movies and the Arts and includes interviews with some of the leading names in the British and International Arts world. Nikki has not left her television work behind however and most recently appeared as a presenter on [[BBC2]]'s [[Desi DNA]].

She has covered for a number of key presenters on [[BBC Radio 2]], [[BBC Radio London|BBC London 94.9]] and BBC Radio 4 and in October 2008 fulfilled a long-held ambition by appearing in an episode of the BBC Radio 4 drama, ''[[The Archers]]''. Bedi continued with her television work alongside radio, appearing as a presenter on [[BBC2]]'s ''[[Desi DNA]]'' for three years and on the popular [[BBC One]] series ''[[To Buy or Not to Buy]]'' during 2010 and 2011.

Bedi was a [[Costa Book Awards]] judge in the New Novel category announced in Jan 2010 and has also been on the judging panel for the [[ÉCU The European Independent Film festival|European Independent Film Festival]] Awards and the [[One World Media Awards]]. In February 2010, she presented a 3-part documentary series on [[BBC Radio 2]] called ''Bollywood Britain''. The series explores the history of Hindi film music and its lasting ties with generations of British Asians.

Bedi continues to be a voiceover artist, having voiced or narrated a wide variety of shows from the [[BBC Four]] documentary series ''[[Indian School (TV series)|Indian School]]'' to the ''[[The Sun Military Awards|Millies]]'' on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nikkibedi.com/credits |title=Nikki Bedi Official Website Credits Page |publisher=Nikki Bedi |date=19 May 2013 |accessdate=6 June 2017}}</ref>

===BBC Radio London, BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4 (2010–present)===
Joining [[BBC Radio London]] in 2010, Bedi presented an evening weekend show until taking over as presenter of the Monday to Thursday overnight show in 2011. She has also been a regular stand-in presenter for key [[BBC Radio London]] shows and presenters including, the ''[[Lesley Joseph]] Show'', the ''[[Vanessa Feltz]] Show'', ''[[Eddie Nestor]]'s Rum Shop'', ''[[The Late Show with JoAnne Good]]'' and [[Gaby Roslin]] on ''The Breakfast Show''.

[[File:Nikki Bedi at The 4th Asian Awards.jpg|thumb|left|Bedi hosts the 4th [[The Asian Awards|Asian Awards]] in 2014]]
Early in 2013, Bedi moved to the [[BBC Radio London]] evening weekend show (Friday to Sunday), making way for her new weekday show ''The Arts Hour'' on the BBC World Service. Curated, written and presented by Bedi, ''The Arts Hour'' is a weekly collection of the most interesting arts related stories from across the [[BBC]] and elsewhere. In February 2016, Bedi moved to the weekday early breakfast on the renamed [[BBC Radio London]]. She left early breakfast in December 2016, and from January 2017 until April 2019, Bedi presented a Sunday mid morning show on [[BBC Radio London]].

In August 2019, Bedi made her debut on [[Smooth Radio (2014)|Smooth Radio]] on a Sunday afternoon show.

Bedi has been associated with [[BBC Radio 4]] for several years having become a regular interviewer on ''[[Loose Ends (radio)|Loose Ends]]'', presenting the show when usual host [[Clive Anderson]] was absent and she has also occasionally presented ''[[Woman's Hour]]''. Bedi became co-host of ''[[Saturday Live (radio series)|Saturday Live]]'' in late 2020.<ref name=moc />

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
⚫
*{{official|http://www.nikkibedi.com/}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/nikki_bedi/ Nikki's new arts, culture and entertainment programme on the BBC Asian Network]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qgj4 ''Saturday Live''] (BBC Radio 4)
⚫
*[http://www.nikkibedi.com/ Official website]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016tmg0 ''The Arts Hour''] (BBC World Service)
*[http://www.lovenikkibedi.com Fan Site]

*[http://www.verveonline.com/26/people/nikki/nikki.shtml Article from 2003]
{{Authority control}}
*[http://www.ketan.net/art10_3.html Article on Nikki Bedi including on first marriage]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedi, Nikki}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork BBC Asian Network]
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:English radio presenters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British people of Marathi descent]]
[[Category:People from Aylesbury]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:British women radio presenters]]
[[Category:BBC Radio 2 presenters]]
[[Category:BBC Asian Network presenters]]
[[Category:BBC Radio 4 presenters]]

Latest revision as of 04:30, 13 December 2024

Nikki Bedi
Bedi at the British Library in 2023
Born
Nikhila Moolgaoker[1]

(1966-09-09) 9 September 1966 (age 58)
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England
OccupationRadio presenter
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1992; div. 2005)​

Nikhila Bedi ( /ˈbeɪdi/; née Moolgaoker; 9 September 1966) is a British television and radio presenter, born to an Indian father of Maharashtrian origin and an English mother. She was married to food stylist Sunil Vijayakar before her second marriage to Kabir Bedi from 1992 to 2005; she retained her married name after their divorce.[2][page needed][3] She describes herself as Indo-Anglian.[4]

She writes and presents The Arts Hour and The Arts Hour on Tour for the BBC World Service, and co-hosts BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live.[4]

Background

[edit]

Her paternal grandparents were the industrialist Sumant Moolgaokar, head of Tata Motors and Tata Steel, and social worker Leela Sumant Moolgaokar, a pioneer of blood transfusion in India.[5]

Career

[edit]

Both a stage and television actress, Bedi began her career in Mumbai. Spotted by the UK's Channel 4, she hosted Bombay Chat, an on-location celebrity talk show. Star TV gave her a primetime slot for Nikki Tonight which quickly proved to be Asia's most widely viewed and controversial talk show, although it was subsequently cancelled by Star TV after a guest, gay rights activist Ashok Row Kavi, made a derogatory remark about Mahatma Gandhi.

Bedi then moved to live and work for a time in Los Angeles, before returning to the UK in 2000 to be the face of Universal's film channel The Studio for over two years. She also presented two live film shows for NOW, Worldwide Screen and Bollywood Today.

In 2003, Bedi began working in radio, appearing on LBC and BBC Radio 4. In 2004, she became the presenter of a new weekend morning programme called Hot Breakfast on the BBC Asian Network before taking over as presenter of the weekday afternoon show, Drive in 2005. In May 2006, as part of wide-ranging schedule changes, she was given her own show called Nikki Bedi on the BBC Asian Network. The daily show featured music, films, books, art and all things cultural and included interviews with prominent figures from those worlds.

She has covered for a number of key presenters on BBC Radio 2, BBC London 94.9 and BBC Radio 4 and in October 2008 fulfilled a long-held ambition by appearing in an episode of the BBC Radio 4 drama, The Archers. Bedi continued with her television work alongside radio, appearing as a presenter on BBC2's Desi DNA for three years and on the popular BBC One series To Buy or Not to Buy during 2010 and 2011.

Bedi was a Costa Book Awards judge in the New Novel category announced in Jan 2010 and has also been on the judging panel for the European Independent Film Festival Awards and the One World Media Awards. In February 2010, she presented a 3-part documentary series on BBC Radio 2 called Bollywood Britain. The series explores the history of Hindi film music and its lasting ties with generations of British Asians.

Bedi continues to be a voiceover artist, having voiced or narrated a wide variety of shows from the BBC Four documentary series Indian School to the Millies on ITV.[6]

BBC Radio London, BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4 (2010–present)

[edit]

Joining BBC Radio London in 2010, Bedi presented an evening weekend show until taking over as presenter of the Monday to Thursday overnight show in 2011. She has also been a regular stand-in presenter for key BBC Radio London shows and presenters including, the Lesley Joseph Show, the Vanessa Feltz Show, Eddie Nestor's Rum Shop, The Late Show with JoAnne Good and Gaby Roslin on The Breakfast Show.

Bedi hosts the 4th Asian Awards in 2014

Early in 2013, Bedi moved to the BBC Radio London evening weekend show (Friday to Sunday), making way for her new weekday show The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service. Curated, written and presented by Bedi, The Arts Hour is a weekly collection of the most interesting arts related stories from across the BBC and elsewhere. In February 2016, Bedi moved to the weekday early breakfast on the renamed BBC Radio London. She left early breakfast in December 2016, and from January 2017 until April 2019, Bedi presented a Sunday mid morning show on BBC Radio London.

In August 2019, Bedi made her debut on Smooth Radio on a Sunday afternoon show.

Bedi has been associated with BBC Radio 4 for several years having become a regular interviewer on Loose Ends, presenting the show when usual host Clive Anderson was absent and she has also occasionally presented Woman's Hour. Bedi became co-host of Saturday Live in late 2020.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ A Full Life, Sabira Merchant, Mitali Parekh, Jaico Publishing House, 2022
  2. ^ A Full Life, Sabira Merchant, Mitali Parekh, Jaico Publishing House, 2022
  3. ^ Martyris, Nina (2 March 2008). "Remember Nikki Gandhi Bedi?". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Bedi, Nikki (8 January 2018). "Episode 1". The Museum of Curiosity. Series 12. Episode 1. Event occurs at 3 mins 18 secs. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 8 January 2018. I describe myself as Indo-Anglian.
  5. ^ Bedi, Nikki [@nikkibedi] (9 April 2021). "My grandfather Sumant Moolgaokar was the Chairman of @TataMotors. Here he is giving HRH Prince Philip a tour of the Telco plant in Jamshedpur. My Ajoba is in the driver's seat. JRD Tata is in the back seat" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Nikki Bedi Official Website Credits Page". Nikki Bedi. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
[edit]
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