Lukwesa was born in Ndola, Zambia in 1974 (date unknown). She is named after her royal tribal family.
Lukwesa moved to England when she was eight. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geography and European studies at the University of Sussex (which included a year in Switzerland).
She was awarded a European Union scholarship to complete a Master of Science degree at the University of Leicester.
She spent three years working in IT, before beginning her broadcasting career as a broadcast assistant at the BBC Weather Centre at Television Centre in London.
She trained as a broadcast meteorologist and appeared as a relief forecaster for the BBC regions.
Lukwesa joined BBC TV’s East Midlands Today as its weather presenter (c. 2002). She eventually moved on to become the presenter of the lunchtime edition of the programme, as well as stand-in co-presenter for the main evening programme.
In 2006, she moved to Sky TV, initially presenting on Sky News overnight.
In August 2012, she joined eNCA (eNews Channel Africa), based in South Africa.
In 2013, Lukwesa rejoined Sky News. She also worked for Al Jazeera English in Doha and in May 2016 returned to the BBC working in the East Midlands and on BBC World News.
Since 13th August 2016, Lukwesa has presented on the BBC News channel, including Focus on Africa.
She presented regional series Inside Out East Midlands (BBC One, 2016 – 2020).
She made her debut presenting the BBC One lunchtime news on 11th and 12th December 2021.
She has since occasionally presented the BBC One lunchtime news programme: March – August 2022, October 2022 and December 2022, April – August 2023 and October 2023, and July 2024.
In June 2021, she presented with her natural afro hair and on Saturday 25th June 2022, she appeared with her hair in braids – a change that attracted much attention on social media.
In response, Lukwesa tweeted: “Yes, I had braids while reading the news and yes, even on a national bulletin. Times have changed!”
On Thursday 4th May 2023, Lukwesa was briefly shown stretching live on the BBC News channel, when a filler segment was terminated prematurely and she was put to air in error.
A clip of the blooper went viral. Later on Twitter Lukwesa said: “Thank you folks: Colleagues – present and former, and all you wonderful viewers X.”
In August 2023, she presented World Business Report on BBC News.
On radio, she presented a lunchtime programme (2016) and sat in for Jo Hayward alongside Jim Davis (2017) on BBC Radio Leicester.
She was a guest on Gardeners’ Question Time (BBC Radio 4, 17th July 2020).
She also presented:
- 5Live Drive with Tony Livesey (BBC Radio 5 Live, 2021 – 2022);
- Sunday Breakfast (BBC Radio 5 Live, 2022);
- Africa Daily (BBC World Service, 2024);
- The Documentary Podcast with James Reynolds (BBC World Service 2023 – 2024);
- BBC OS/BBC OS Conversations (BBC World Service, 2023 – 2024);
- What in the World (BBC World Service, 2024).
In March 2023, she was appointed chair for The Masomo Education Foundation’s advisory committee.
Personal information
Clips of Lukwesa on The TV Room
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Online presence
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: Lukwesa Burak. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
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