Roslyn Atkins was born in 1974 in Cornwall, England and grew up in Stithians. Because of his father’s international work, he also spent parts of his childhood in Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, and South Africa, giving him a global outlook from an early age.

He was educated at Truro School in Cornwall and later studied History at Jesus College, University of Cambridge. After finishing university, Atkins moved to South Africa, where he worked as a journalist and researcher focusing on crime prevention and human rights.

Before joining the BBC, Atkins worked as the digital editor of Time Out’s website and also wrote for media outlets while continuing his interest in music as a drum-and-bass DJ.

He joined BBC News in 2001, initially as a producer on BBC Radio 5 Live. Over the years he became a prominent presenter on programmes including World Have Your Say, Outside Source, and later the explainer series “Ros Atkins On…” across BBC television and digital platforms.

Atkins now serves as Analysis Editor for BBC News, appearing across major BBC programmes and presenting The Media Show on BBC Radio 4. He lives in South London with his wife and two daughters.