HEADLINE

JAMES LONGMAN IS A BBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT WHO’S REPORTED FROM SYRIA AND THE SCENES OF SOME OF THE WORST TERRORIST ATTACKS IN EUROPE. HE’S JUST BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE RTS YOUNG TALENT OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR HIS WORK ON THE VICTORIA DERBYSHIRE PROGRAMME, AND TELLS US ALL ABOUT KEEPING IN SHAPE ON THE ROAD AND DRAWING ATTENTION TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

WORDS: CLIFF JOANNOU PHOTOGRAPHY: MARKUS BIDAUX FASHION: REMI THIROUX

ACT

How did you end up specialising in reporting on terrorism?

I did my degree in Arabic and went to live in Syria as part of that. Then I did a Masters in communication and went back to Syria to do more studies on the country. By the time the war began I’d been back and forth for six or seven years. I thought: “Why don’t I write for the newspapers?” So I contacted The Daily Telegraph and ended up spending a bit of time with the rebels. I gave a talk about having been inside Syria, the BBC were there and they offered me a job. I fell in love with the country, it’s the most beautiful amazing place.

WAR ZONE: James reports from some of the most distressing places on the planet

You’ve reported on Islamic State as well. How does that feel as a gay man, to be reporting on a group that is stridently targeting gay men, burning them, throwing them off buildings?