Dina Butti

Dina Butti is an Egyptian/Canadian TV presenter, content creator and voiceover artist. She is most known as a TV presenter on the United Arab Emirates’ English television channel, Dubai One, where she co-hosted the channel's celebrity program, That's Entertainment, reported for their Expo 2020 Dubai daily live coverage and is currently hosting their evening lifestyle show, DXB Today.

She is also recognized as a content creator, most popular for her #mushmusicals parody videos which reflect on the journey of motherhood. Dina has taken part in numerous campaigns with global brands such as Dyson, Gap, Johnson's, IKEA, Tag Heuer and Nike. In addition, Dina emcees and hosts social media lives, representing companies including Samsung, Virgin Megastore and Etisalat.

She is married to Emirati/American television presenter and producer, Omar Butti, and together they have two sons.

Early life and background Dina Butti was born as Dina El-Gamal in the capital of Greece, Athens. She spent her life moving around from one city to another, living in countries such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, England and the United Arab Emirates.

In 2002, Butti attended Montreal's Concordia University and completed a major in studio arts and specializations in journalism and television. While finishing her studies for television, she produced, filmed, and edited a short documentary about moderate Muslims in Montreal which she submitted into a competition sponsored by Canada's National Film Board. The documentary was selected as one of the winners and was screened on CBC Television and at the One World Film Festival.

Career During her time at university, Butti worked as an extra for the Nickelodeon television show, 15/Love, as well as for Hollywood films, including King’s Ransom. In 2006, Butti spent her summer interning in Dubai at INTV and ITP. She completed an internship at CNN Arabia where she also landed her first freelance opportunity, reporting at the Dubai International Film Festival and interviewing her first celebrity, George Clooney.

Writing

At the age of 23, Butti was hired by an advertising and publishing agency to launch an international luxury wellness and lifestyle magazine titled Talise for Jumeirah Group. Despite her limited experience in print journalism, she became the editor and principal writer of the publication. Butti secured numerous celebrity interviews for the publication, including Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera and Karl Lagerfeld. In the meantime, Butti was given her first onscreen gig as a social scout on a weekly show called City Wrap. She eventually secured a full-time presenting position in 2010 when she became a reporter and relief host for Studio One. dressing up as Super Girl at Comic Con, wrestling with MMA fighters and co-hosting with hyenas, snakes, and lions sitting beside her. During this time, Butti met and interviewed stars from various fields, including Ronan Keating, Kim Kardashian, WWE wrestler Chris Jericho, celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, comedian Al Murray, UB40’s lead singer Ali Campbell, model Helena Christensen, radio and television host Chris Tarrant, the creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series Jack Canfield, and Bollywood actors Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh and Rahul Bose. Butti also began reporting live from events around town, including the Dubai International Film Festival. The Jacksons, Il Divo, Kajol, Jason Momoa, Chris Daughtry and Akshay Kumar.

In 2011, Butti briefly filled in for radio host, Priti Malik, presenting the gossip on The Kris Fade Show on Virgin Radio Dubai. In 2013, she also co-hosted the morning show on Dubai Eye.

Artwork In 2011, she took part in Al Ghaf Gallery’s Ramadan Art Bazaar, exhibiting three paintings depicting cultural issues. That year, Butti also displayed and sold a number of pieces as part of a "Women in Art" exhibit at Courtyard Gallery. In both 2012 and 2013, she was asked to create her own ‘MEGA’ figure to be displayed at Dubai Mall. In 2014, Dina took part in a pop art exhibit at Galeries Lafayette where she displayed a new series of her abstract portraits. Later in the year, she was asked to transform a Gibson guitar into an artwork to be showcased at both Hard Rock Cafe and the Middle East Comic Con Festival.

Personal life

In 2010, Dina met her husband, Omar Butti, on her first day of work at Dubai One, where he continues to work as a presenter and producer for current affairs show, Emirates 24/7. Exactly one year after their first date, they were legally married at the Dubai Courts and shortly after celebrated with a TV themed wedding at the Atlantis the Palm. In May 2015, the couple gave birth to a baby boy. In December 2017, the couple welcomed their second son.

Recognition In 2012, Dina and her husband, Omar Butti, were selected as part of Ahlan!’s annual Hot 100 list in the Trendsetters category. Their residence was also featured on the Ahlan! Hot 100 Homes list for the same year. In 2012 and 2013, Dina was a finalist for the Best In Dubai Awards in the ‘Best Personality’ category. In 2013, both Butti and Omar joined Tag Heuer's Middle East Celebrity Club, becoming ambassadors for the luxury Swiss watch brand. In 2014, Dina was nominated for the prestigious 'Woman of the Year Award' by Emirates Women magazine in the artists category. In 2016, Dina's role as a mom presenter was rewarded when she was selected as a "Mother of the Year" by the city's most popular motherhood site, Sassy Mamas.

List of Interviewees

Hollywood Film and TV Interviewees

John Travolta Will Smith Gerard Butler Eva Longoria Kim Kardashian Khloe Kardashian Ty Burrell Matthew McConaughey Jared Leto Joshua Jackson Marlon Wayans Martin Sheen Paul Bettany Warwick Davis Jensen Ackles Taylor Kitsch Giancarlo Esposito

Blake Lively Amy Adams Susan Sarandon Nicole Richie Nick Cannon Seth Green Manu Bennett Jason Momoa Sean Astin Max Landis Kathy Hilton Bob Odenkirk Jesse Metcalfe Jared Padalecki Tony Jaa Michael Jai White

Singer/Band Interviews

Celine Dion The Jacksons James Blunt Metallica Guns N' Roses Il Divo Ronan Keating

Hans Zimmer The Jacksons AR Rahman Eraserheads Jason Derulo Daughtry Nelly

Bollywood Interviewees

Shahrukh Khan Akshay Kumar Ranveer Singh Kajol Sunny Leone Manoj Bajpai Sophie Choudry Shahid Kapoor Imran Khan Katrina Kaif Ali Zafar

Priyanka Chopra John Abraham Anil Kapoor Deepika Padukone Karisma Kapoor Anupam Kher Juhi Chawla Zarine Khan Malaika Arora Khan Anushka Sharma

Fashion Designers

John Galliano Carolina Herrera Reem Acra Tadashi Shoji

Karl Lagerfeld Alexander McQueen Diane Von Furstenberg Dsquared2