Morland Sanders to lead North of England coverage

Currently reporting for Radio 4 and ITV’s current affairs strand Tonight, in this new role Sanders will be tasked with covering stories across the editorial agenda from the region.

Born in the North of England, Sanders began his career in Hong Kong – and has since worked in news and current affairs for every UK terrestrial network. For Tonight, he has exposed the financial links between drugs companies and cancer charities, filmed undercover in the Middle East on the hunt for stolen British cars and questioned senior commanders in Helmand Province on Iran’s role in the war with the Taliban. Whilst at Tonight, he won three Royal Television Society Awards.

Sanders also presented “Fiddles, Cheats and Scams”, a 3-part series on the UK ‘s fraudsters. More recently, for Radio 4’s “File on 4” documentary strand, he has reported on stories ranging from the European Banking crisis to the financial state of Premier League football.

At Channel 4 News, Sanders will lead the bureau team based in Manchester . He will be tasked with providing distinctive original coverage of the region and its social issues via news reports, films and investigations.

This is the latest announcement from Channel 4 News as part of a period of change that has already seen the programme’s website re-launched and a series of new appointments. Cathy Newman will become the programme’s third regular presenter alongside Jon Snow and Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Matt Frei will become Washington Correspondent, and he will also join the presenting team. And the programme has appointed Newsnight’s Jackie Long to the newly created role of Social Affairs Editor.

Morland Sanders, North of England Correspondent says: “It’s fantastic to be joining Channel 4 News during this dynamic period. The programme has restated its commitment to covering and engaging with modern Britain- and my patch will be absolutely integral to that. I’m looking forward to applying Channel 4 News’ much-admired core values to this diverse and exciting region.”

Jim Gray, Editor, Channel 4 News says: “Morland is an engaging story-teller who has a natural affinity with the region, having worked there for so many different programmes. I’m confident that his journalism will ensure we reflect the events, the issues and the character of the North of England in a way that speaks to people there, and across the country. He brings a wealth of experience and a proven reputation for finding things out.”

Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current Affairs, Channel 4: “Morland has shown his understanding of the region and the way local and national stories affect people’s lives there. We’re looking forward to him bringing this knowledge, and his natural curiosity to the programme – so that we have the best coverage of breaking news in the region, but also so that we get to the heart of the issues affecting this part of modern Britain.”