Journalism alumni Srosh unearthing sport’s unsung heroes and stories
Broadcast Journalism alumni Srosh Khan is using his skill at unearthing stories to give a voice to underrepresented people from the margins of sport across a range of platforms for the BBC.
Having graduated from Huddersfield in 2019, Bradford-based Srosh is now a journalist and producer for BBC Sport News at Media City in Salford. He works on the BBC News Channel as well as the 1, 6 and 10 o clock bulletins for BBC News. His passion for promoting the achievements of unsung heroes, whose stories may have flown under radar, has seen him discovering and presenting diverse pieces on inspirational athletes, including some who have overcome disability or have been forced to flee their home countries.
Srosh has worked on major events such as the Qatar World Cup, Beijing Olympics, Wimbledon and the 2023 Cricket World Cup just to name a few.
Study Broadcast Journalism at the University of Huddersfield
But Srosh is also no stranger to meeting high profile stars, having filmed pieces with England cricketers Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, as well as regularly gathering news from Premier League press conferences.
Improving diversity in sports media
Srosh is also passionate that sport needs to be covered by journalists from an increasingly diverse range of backgrounds.
“There is a lack of representation of people from ethnic backgrounds or even working-class backgrounds like mine in sports journalism, and I am very keen to bring about change in that respect,” says Srosh, who was nominated at the Yorkshire Asian Young Achievers award and named in the Northern Asian Powerlist 2022.
“In my work at BBC Sport I do a lot of stories on people from diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, people from the South Asian or African Caribbean communities. That is where my work takes me and it is my passion.”
Srosh spoke to Rehan Ahmed just after the teenager broke into the England cricket teamThe spark for Srosh came while in Year 10 at school, when in response to being asked ‘What would you like to do without?’ for an essay, he wrote a piece about the English Defence League. Encouraged by a teacher, he gained experience with Pulse Radio as well as working on social media for Bradford Park Avenue FC. He gained further experience with Radio Leeds and Bradford Community Broadcasting by digging out news and sport stories around his home city, before his three years at Huddersfield.
Stints with Leeds Local TV and the BBC’s Inside Out during his degree saw Srosh gain valuable experience on both sides of the microphone to build upon what he had learned using the University’s studio and gallery facilities. After graduating and seeing the pandemic reduce his freelance opportunities, he was successful when applying to the BBC for a permanent role in 2021.
While much of his time is taken up with gathering news for national and regional bulletins, Srosh also pitches ideas on the areas he is passionate about, which have led to a variety of content across digital and broadcast platforms for BBC Sport and BBC News.
These include meeting Sammy Kumar, who has overcome the condition Erb’s Palsy to play for the England Physical Disability cricket team where he is the only player from a South Asian background. Srosh also shone a light on the growing success of boxers from the same community.
Srosh filmed a lengthy piece with Hamzah Sheeraz, middleweight world title hopeful, and several other boxers which has had over 18,000 views.
“I produced a piece for South Asian Heritage Month on the boxers, which was very successful and got more people talking about boxers like Hamzah Sheeraz, who is an eyeing a shot at a world title.”
Another popular clip that Srosh was involved with saw cricketers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, both favourites of Srosh’s, take part in a penalty shootout-style ‘bowl off’ that he modestly does not claim credit for.
“I was shadow producing that one at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, and I won’t claim credit, but it did get hundreds of thousands of views. Moeen is a hero of mine, and Adil’s from Bradford as well as being one the best leg-spinners in the world.”
Srosh met two of his cricketing heroes, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, filming in Southampton
Srosh is based at the BBC's Media City facility in Salford
Srosh with England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed
Srosh also interviewed Rehan Ahmed, one of cricket’s rising stars, during Ramadan in 2023 and focused on how the bowler juggled the demands of playing cricket with his faith.
“Rehan was really great to speak to, I’m older than him but he plays for England! It was fascinating to hear about him and his faith, and he also has younger brothers just starting out in cricket that we may hear from soon.
“This summer is very busy, it seems like the sport just never stops, we have the Euros coming up as well as the Cricket World Cup and The Hundred and I’m really excited to work on those but the long term goal is to be a role model for aspiring journalists from diverse backgrounds and letting them know there is a place for them in this industry and that they can be successful in it.”