Betsan Powys

Who is Betsan Powys?

Betsan Powys, is a Welsh journalist, currently the Editor of Programmes for BBC Radio Cymru.

A native Welsh speaker after being educated at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari, Powys joined BBC Wales as a News Trainee in 1989, before joining the newsroom in Cardiff as a bilingual, bi-media reporter. Moving to Current Affairs came in 1994, she reported undercover, where one investigation required her to pose as one half of a Swinging couple in the "Garden of Eden", a West Wales brothel.

Powys then presented the Welsh language news programme Newyddion, was chief reporter on the European current affairs series Ewropa, and joined Huw Edwards to front United Kingdom national election specials.

Powys was lent for a period to BBC One's flagship current affairs programme Panorama, during which time she returned to Wales to give birth to her daughter. Her first report for Panorama was an investigation into the way Jehovah's Witnesses deal with allegations of child abuse, while her first worldwide exclusive occurred when she persuaded the commanding officer of 30 Royal Welch Fusiliers held hostage in Goražde, Bosnia, to allow her to interview colleagues and friends, agreeing to his condition that the programme would be broadcast only "in the Gaelic tongue."