Stewart Maclean

Stewart Maclean is a British journalist and editor, best known for serving as editor of BBC Newsnight. He has served as the BBC World News Content Africa Bureau Chief since January 2024.

Career Maclean began his career in 2004 as a graduate trainee at the Daily Mirror, following his graduation from the University of Manchester. He later worked as a freelance correspondent in South Africa for UK and Irish national newspapers.

Maclean joined the BBC as a producer on Newsnight in 2012, and moved to ITV News in 2013. He spent several years at ITV News, first as a news editor and later as Head of UK Specialist Journalism. In April 2022, Maclean was appointed editor of Newsnight, replacing Esme Wren. In October 2023, he left that role to move to Nairobi, Kenya as BBC News's Africa bureau chief. His announcement came amidst speculation about the future of funding for Newsnight, with Maclean acknowledging in an email to colleagues that his move could not have been "timed more badly," but stressing that he was leaving for "deeply personal" family reasons.

Maclean assumed his current role as BBC World News Content's Africa Bureau Chief in January 2024. Maclean was portrayed by Éanna Hardwicke in Amazon MGM Studios' A Very Royal Scandal, a three-part historical drama series released on 19 September 2024 on Amazon Prime Video.