BIOGRAPHY

Aaqil started work at the BBC in 1992 working on a number of programmes from Panorama to Indian cinema quiz show Bollywood or Bust.

 

Aaqil briefly left the BBC in 1996 for a six month stint as a sports Producer before returning to the BBC to work on prime time  current Affairs for  BBC 1 as well as news specials such as the Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales

 

In 2001 he was Executive producer of the BBC’s first ever season on Islam, delivering over thirteen hours of TV, 300 community events and the publishing of a History of Islam book. This multi award winning season was broadcast two weeks before 9/11.

 

Between 2001 and 2003 Aaqil was the Deputy and Acting Editor of Everyman, the BBC’s then flagship ethical documentary series. He also executive produced the series Trouble up North, about the riots in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham as well as running development for BBC Religion and Ethics.

 

In 2003 Aaqil left the BBC to become the Commissioning Editor of Religion at Channel 4. In his six years there he won numerous awards  as a commissioner or as part of a commissioning team, such as a Bafta and Emmy for Saving Africa’s Witch Children, a BANFF world media award for The Qur’an, Emmy nominations for The Cult of the Suicide Bomber and Jihad documentaries and an Oscar nomination for the multiple award winning film Jesus Camp. Aaqil was also the Head of Multicultural Programming in his last two years at Channel 4, helping to nurture and develop many on and off screen talent.

 

In 2009 Aaqil returned to the BBC as Head of religion and Ethics. This newly created role involved commissioning Religion TV across all BBC channels, running in house productions for TV and radio, advising on editorial compliance internally and representing the BBC externally. In this period he restructured how the subject is covered, introduced Digital programming and created many collaborations internally and with external partners such as the Arts Council and the Football Association. Aaqil ran many live events such as The Papal visit to England and Scotland in 2010 and advised on projects as diverse as Citizen Khan to the news reaction to the Charlie Hebdo killings.

 

Aaqil left the BBC at the beginning of 2017 and has been developing a TV investment foundation, setting up a Leadership and management consultancy and originating and pitching TV ideas with a number of independent Production companies. Aaqil has also spent a day a week for six months consulting with digital media company Breakthrough Media in the field of countering violent extremism in cyberspace and is working with a number of foundations on maximising their communications and digital presence.

 

Aaqil is a Professor of media at the University of Bolton; a public speaker and writer on diversity, media, leadership and religion as well as an advisor to a number of organisations on communication and strategy.