BBC journalist Ashley John-Baptiste to share inspirational story

TV Presenter, news broadcaster, inspirational speaker and author Ashley John-Baptiste will be visiting the island for an event on Thursday Nov 14th (18.00) to share his hard-hitting and inspirational story of navigating through the care system and to promote the importance of education in helping care experienced young people achieve their aspirations.

In June 2024 he published his debut book ‘Looked After: A Childhood in Care’ an unflinchingly honest memoir of his childhood. Eye-opening and deeply reflective, it provides an insight into care provision, including how race and masculinity intersect.

Born in South London, Ashley faced a challenging childhood, entering foster care at age four and moving between multiple homes and schools. Despite these obstacles, his academic talent led him to study history at Cambridge University, where he graduated with honours and mentored other care-experienced students.

Ashley first gained public recognition as a member of The Risk on X Factor, making headlines when he left the show to pursue his passion for journalism. Now an accomplished BBC journalist, he’s covered major events, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and earned a nomination for Young Talent of the Year at the RTS Television Journalism Awards.

At the event at Le Rocquier School, which is organised by CYPES in association with Jersey Festival of Words, Ashley will discuss the importance of resilience, education, and support for care-experienced youth, aiming to inspire students and shed light on the positive impact of inclusive educational environments.

Signed copies of his book will be available to purchase.

• 6pm: Inspirational speech by Ashley John-Baptiste
• 6:45pm: Q&A
• 7pm: Book signing
• 8pm: Finish