Shekhar Bhatia: The Journalist Who Built a Remarkable Fleet Street Career
From a London Reporter to a National Newspaper Veteran
Shekhar Bhatia is a British journalist and reporter known for a long career covering London, national and international events. Born in London and of Asian heritage, he began his journalism career as a young reporter and went on to work for publications including the Newham Recorder, Evening Standard, Daily Express, Sunday Mirror and The Observer. He later became Chief Reporter and Showbusiness Editor at the Sunday Express and worked with MailOnline’s global reporting team. His career and experiences are also chronicled in his 2024 memoir, Namaste, Geezer: Life as a Fan and Journalist of Asian Heritage.
Bhatia’s career stands out not simply because of the newspapers he worked for, but because of the breadth of his reporting. Over several decades, he covered major sporting competitions, international stories and high-profile news events while also documenting his own experiences as a British Asian journalist.
Who Is Shekhar Bhatia?
Shekhar Bhatia is a UK-based journalist whose professional career has spanned several decades. His publicly available professional information describes him as a freelance journalist and reporter covering London, national and international events.
His early career included work at the Newham Recorder. Later, he moved into major Fleet Street newsrooms, including the Evening Standard. A professional career record places his Newham Recorder reporting role in 1979 and his Evening Standard career beginning in the 1980s.
His career subsequently expanded into national newspapers. According to the author biography accompanying his memoir, Bhatia worked for The Observer, Sunday Mirror, Daily Express and Evening Standard. He also served as Chief Reporter and Showbusiness Editor at the Sunday Express.
That progression reflects the changing nature of British newspaper journalism during his career, taking him from local reporting into national and international journalism.
Shekhar Bhatia’s Journalism Career
Early Years in Newspaper Reporting
Bhatia has spoken about wanting to become a journalist from a young age. A 2024 interview with the Camden New Journal records that he was 17 when he decided journalism was the career he wanted, despite being discouraged by a school careers teacher. He subsequently secured newspaper work and established himself in the profession.
His early reporting experience helped establish the foundation for a career that would eventually take him into some of Britain’s best-known newspaper organisations.
Fleet Street and the Evening Standard
One of the significant stages of Bhatia’s career was his work at the Evening Standard. He has described becoming one of the first journalists of Asian heritage to hold an editorial staff position at the newspaper during the 1980s.
His memoir and interviews also discuss the discrimination he encountered during his career. In 2024, Geo News reported on Bhatia’s account of racism in British journalism and football, based on his memoir and comments at its launch.
These experiences became an important part of his personal story, particularly because they occurred alongside his determination to build a successful career in mainstream British journalism.
National and International Reporting
Bhatia later moved into senior positions within national newspapers. The Camden New Journal reports that he moved to the Daily Express in 1994, where he became Chief Reporter and covered major international football matches.
His professional biography also credits him with reporting from major sporting events around the world. According to The News, Bhatia has covered seven Olympic Games, seven World Cups and numerous Wimbledon finals, as well as cricket and basketball in the United States. The same report says he travelled extensively across America and spent time living in New York City.
His work therefore extends well beyond traditional London reporting, encompassing international sport, major news stories and high-profile personalities.
Shekhar Bhatia and Television Journalism
Bhatia’s work has not been restricted to newspapers. His published author biography says that he has helped produce television documentaries for programmes and broadcasters including the BBC’s Panorama, Dispatches and NBC in the United States.
His career has consequently combined newspaper reporting with television production and international journalism.
He has also worked on stories connected with major criminal and international cases. His author biography notes that his book about the murder of Anni Dewani was the first publication released by Mirror Books.
Namaste, Geezer: Shekhar Bhatia’s Memoir
In 2024, Bhatia published Namaste, Geezer: Life as a Fan and Journalist of Asian Heritage. Published by Pitch Publishing, the 160-page memoir combines journalism, football and personal history.
The book explores his experiences growing up in London, his passion for West Ham United and his career in journalism. It also examines racism in football and the British newspaper industry.
The memoir provides an unusually personal insight into the life of a British Asian journalist who entered Fleet Street at a time when Britain’s newsrooms and football grounds were considerably less diverse than they are today.
Shekhar Bhatia Family
Bhatia’s family background forms an important part of his story. He was born in London, while his parents had roots in the Indian subcontinent. According to The News, his father was from Lahore and had a strong affection for the city, while Bhatia’s parents moved to Britain before Partition.
Bhatia was married to British actress, writer and comedian Meera Syal. The couple married in 1989 and later divorced. Their daughter is theatre director Milli Bhatia, whose professional career has included work with the Royal Court Theatre.
His family connections have therefore also linked his story with Britain’s wider entertainment and theatre communities.
Shekhar Bhatia Age
How Old Is Shekhar Bhatia?
Shekhar Bhatia’s exact date of birth and current age are not reliably published in the major sources reviewed for this biography. Therefore, it would be misleading to provide a specific age as fact.
There are, however, useful indicators of the length of his career. In 2024, The News described him as having experienced 47 years as a reporter, while his memoir and interviews document a journalism career beginning in his youth.
For that reason, readers searching for “Shekhar Bhatia age” should be cautious about websites that publish an exact birth date without a credible source.
Shekhar Bhatia Net Worth
What Is Shekhar Bhatia’s Net Worth?
There is no reliable, publicly documented figure for Shekhar Bhatia’s net worth.
Although he has enjoyed a long career in national newspapers, television journalism and publishing, publicly available sources do not provide verified information about his salary, investments, property holdings or total assets.
Consequently, online estimates of his net worth should not be treated as established facts. A responsible biography should distinguish between a journalist’s documented career achievements and speculative financial figures.
Shekhar Bhatia Wikipedia
Does Shekhar Bhatia Have a Wikipedia Page?
There does not appear to be a dedicated, established Wikipedia biography for journalist Shekhar Bhatia in the sources reviewed.
However, his name appears in biographical information relating to Meera Syal, his former wife, and Milli Bhatia, their daughter.
For reliable information about Bhatia himself, his published memoir and established newspaper interviews provide considerably more useful material than an incomplete or unofficial biography.
Awards and Recognition
Bhatia’s career has received recognition within British Asian journalism. His published author biography states that he won the Asian Media Awards’ Journalist of the Year award.
The News reported that he was voted Journalist of the Year at the Asian Media Awards in 2014.
This recognition forms part of a wider career that has seen him work across national newspapers, international reporting and television documentary production.
Conclusion
Shekhar Bhatia’s story is that of a London-born journalist who built a substantial career in British newspaper journalism while navigating the challenges faced by a British Asian reporter entering Fleet Street.
From his early reporting days to senior newspaper positions, international sporting assignments and television work, his career has covered an unusually broad range of journalism. His memoir, Namaste, Geezer, adds a personal dimension to that professional history, particularly through its discussion of football, identity and racism.
While details such as Shekhar Bhatia’s exact age and net worth remain unverified publicly, his professional achievements are much better documented. His work for major British newspapers, international reporting experience, television involvement and award recognition provide the clearest picture of his contribution to journalism.
