Meet the team from Ukrainecast – the BBC News podcast dedicated to the fast-moving conflict that has followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Roisin Hastie spoke to presenter Victoria Derbyshire, Senior Editor Jonathan Aspinwall, and Senior Monitoring Journalist Vitaly Shevchenko.
Following in the footsteps of Brexitcast, Americast and Newscast, the daily podcast aims to get behind the headlines and onto the ground, providing regular updates on the war from the BBC’s embedded correspondents and team in London.
The podcast discusses hard news, shares human interest stories, reports from veteran correspondents and expert insight. Ukrainecast has been widely reviewed and praised as one of the leading series about the conflict, and has become an appointment to listen for thousands in the UK and around the world.
How did the BBC decide to mobilise Ukrainecast, and how did they pull it together so quickly? How does the team strike the balance of reporting on horrific events, while creating a compelling listen with responsible analysis? And what are the logistical issues involved in covering such a fast-moving story, taking place in such challenging conditions?
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Victoria Derbyshire (Ukrainecast Presenter) is a BBC News journalist who also presents the News at One on the BBC. Her award winning current affairs and debate programme was broadcast on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel from 2015 until March 2020. She was a contestant on I’m Celebrity and appeared on ITV’s The Real Full Monty: Ladies night – an entertainment documentary to raise awareness of breast cancer. Vic previously presented on BBC Radio 5 live between 10 am and 12 and worked on local radio in Greater Manchester and Coventry and Warwickshire.
Jonathan Aspinwall (Senior News Editor, News Podcasts) is responsible for Ukrainceast, Newscast and Americast. He launched Ukrainecast on the first day of the invasion of Ukraine. Jonathan was the Deputy Editor of BBC Breakfast in Salford having previously been an Editor of Stephen Nolan and Tony Livesey on 5 live. He started his career in BBC local radio before working with Edwina Currie and Richard Bacon. He was roving reporter and producer on Farming Today before helping launch the revamp of the BBC Asian Network in Birmingham.
Vitaly Shevchenko (Senior Monitoring Journalist, BBC) is a Russia specialist, working at BBC Monitoring.
Roisin Hastie (Our Host) is a presenter for BBC Newsbeat, and the host of The Radio Academy Podcast.