Alastair Sooke was born in west London in October 1981. Details about his parents are not publicly available. At the age of fourteen, Sooke starred as Kay Harker in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of John Masefield’s children’s fantasy novel The Box of Delights — an early sign of his connection to broadcasting. His exact upbringing beyond schooling in Central London has not been publicly documented.

After graduating with a First from Oxford, Sooke studied for an MA at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. He joined The Daily Telegraph as a trainee journalist in 2003, going on to become its chief art critic. He also became a regular presenter on The Culture Show for BBC Two and a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Front Row and BBC Radio 3’s Night Waves.

In China’s Greatest Treasures, Sooke travels through China immersing himself in Chinese art and culture, past and present, with privileged access to some of China’s most prestigious museum collections, including the Forbidden City in Beijing and collections in Shanghai and Xi’an. Season 1 first aired in October 2019 and Season 2 returned in February 2025, both on BBC One.

Sooke lives in London with his wife and three children. Further details about his partner are not publicly available.