Ian Hamilton is a very well-known Scottish documentary maker and TV reporter who joined BBC Scotland News in 2000 working in both radio and television. Blind since birth and a guide dog owner, his talks have been described as inspirational, thought provoking, entertaining and motivational. Ian talks about being a disabled reporter and its challenges, working both in the UK and abroad.
He also works as a reporter for BBC Scotland and Radio 4, regularly covering a variety of programmes for news, sport, and features, including Sports Weekly, Reporting Scotland and Newsnight Scotland. He was also a regular on Radio 4s programme ‘In Touch’, ‘You and Yours’ and the award winning ‘Home Truths’ with the late John Peel. Ian branched into web casting for BBC Scotland where he hosted an Election Special at the last Scottish parliamentary election.
He is passionate about the importance of disability rights, employment and training, education, and technology and of course, diversity within broadcasting.
Ian has said that he would be lost without his guide dog Major. Ian and Major have been filming a new documentary series in Scotland called “My kind of town” looking at the past, present and future of Scottish towns https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pvsk.
Ian talked here in 2011 about working as a reporter with his then guide dog Renton https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12395521
Ian is also a columnist for The Herald newspaper with an irreverent and amusing look at the trials and tribulations of life as a blind person. His talks reflect a thought-provoking insight into the human side of being blind. Topics like The Blind Spy, Walking Holidays, How to Avoid the Public when Blind, Sailing without a Compass are a few of the entertaining articles already published. Ian uses his life experience to motivate others and encourage them to look at the positive when dealing with every day life.
