Runako Celina

Runako Celina is a British-Grenadian investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker. She is known for reporting and producing BBC investigations, notably Racism for Sale, a BBC Africa Eye documentary about a Chinese video-making industry exploiting African children, and Death in Dubai (2025), a BBC Eye and BBC World Service investigation into the death of Ugandan woman Monic Karungi and the exploitation of Ugandan women in Dubai.

Career Celina lived in China for seven years before returning to the United Kingdom in 2020. While in China, she co-founded Black Livity China, a media platform documenting the experiences of Africans and people of African descent in China and in relation to China.

In 2021, Celina graduated from City, University of London with an MA in Investigative Journalism and joined BBC Africa Eye.

In 2022, Celina and Malawian journalist Henry Mhango reported Racism for Sale for BBC Africa Eye. The documentary investigated personalised videos filmed in Malawi and circulated on Chinese social media, including videos in which African children were made to repeat racist phrases in Mandarin.

Accolades +YearAwardCategoryShowResult 2022 BBC News AwardsRising Star Racism For Sale 2023One World MediaNew Voice Award Grierson Awards Best Documentary Presenter 2025 Edinburgh TV AwardsVisionary Live Pitch 2026 Amnesty Media AwardsRadio & Podcasts World Of Secrets: Death In Dubai Royal Television Society Television Journalism Awards Best Current Affairs programme Gracie AwardsAudio Podcast - News/Investigative