David Olusoga is a British Nigerian historian, author, broadcaster, television presenter and BAFTA winning filmmaker known for bringing overlooked aspects of British, African and global history to mainstream audiences. Born David Adetayo Olusoga on January 5, 1970, in Lagos, Nigeria, he has built a distinguished career exploring subjects including slavery, empire, race, migration, war and Black British history. He is also Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester.
Olusoga became widely recognised through historical television programmes including The World’s War, Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, Black and British: A Forgotten History, Civilisations and A House Through Time. His work combines academic historical research with accessible television storytelling, allowing complex subjects to reach audiences beyond universities and specialist history circles.
Alongside television, Olusoga has established himself as a bestselling author and public historian. He has written and co written several books, received major honours including an OBE and the British Academy President’s Medal, and was given a BAFTA Special Award in 2023 for his contribution to television. In 2026, he has returned to television with Finding Britain’s Slave Traders, a documentary series examining Britain’s historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
David Olusoga’s Early Life
David Adetayo Olusoga was born on January 5, 1970, in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Nigerian father and a British mother. He moved to Britain with his mother when he was five years old and grew up in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. His childhood took place on a council estate where his mixed Nigerian and British background made him one of relatively few non white children in the area.
Olusoga experienced racism during his childhood and adolescence. His family home was attacked by members of the National Front on more than one occasion, and the family eventually had to leave their home. These experiences became an important part of the personal background that later influenced his interest in race, identity, empire and Britain’s relationship with the wider world.
His early experiences also shaped his relationship with history. Olusoga has explained that his interest in history developed partly from wanting to understand the forces that had affected his own life and family. His Nigerian heritage and upbringing in the North East of England gave him two interconnected perspectives that later became important to his work as a historian and broadcaster.
David Olusoga’s Education
David Olusoga attended school in the North East of England and has spoken openly about difficulties he experienced during his education. He was dyslexic and has described experiencing racism from teachers. His diagnosis came later than it might have, with his mother playing an important role in ensuring that he received appropriate support.
Olusoga later attended the University of Liverpool, where he studied history with a particular interest in slavery. He graduated with a BA Honours degree in History in 1994. His academic interests gave him a foundation for the historical research that would later become central to his books, documentaries and university career.
After completing his history degree, Olusoga continued his education with postgraduate study. He completed a postgraduate course in broadcast journalism at Leeds Trinity University and also studied at master’s level at the University of Leicester. Although he initially considered continuing toward a PhD and an academic career, he eventually chose television and broadcasting, combining his historical training with practical media work.
David Olusoga’s Career
David Olusoga began his television career as a researcher on the BBC series Western Front in 1999. He subsequently moved into television production and worked on historical documentaries including Namibia: Genocide and the Second Reich, The Lost Pictures of Eugene Smith and Abraham Lincoln: Saint or Sinner?. His early production experience gave him an understanding of documentary making before he became a regular presenter.
Olusoga later moved increasingly into presenting historical programmes. In 2014, he presented The World’s War: Forgotten Soldiers of Empire, examining the contribution of Indian, African and Asian troops during the First World War. He subsequently presented programmes including Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, Black and British: A Forgotten History and A House Through Time, establishing himself as one of the most recognisable historians on British television.
His 2015 documentary series Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners became an important part of his television career and won the BAFTA Television Award for Specialist Factual. His book Black and British: A Forgotten History, published in 2016, also received major recognition, including the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize and the Longman History Today Trustees Award. His work has consistently focused on bringing neglected histories into wider public discussion.
In 2018, Olusoga was one of the historians who presented the BBC series Civilisations alongside Simon Schama and Mary Beard. In 2019, he became Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to history and community integration. He has also written for publications including The Guardian, The Observer and BBC History Magazine and has been involved with the Scott Trust.
Olusoga has continued expanding his work across television, books, podcasts and public history. He co created Black History for Every Day of the Year with his siblings Yinka and Kemi in 2024, became an ambassador for the National Trust in 2025 and appeared on the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors. In 2026, he has continued presenting and speaking publicly about history, including his A Gun Through Time national tour and the BBC documentary series Finding Britain’s Slave Traders.
David Olusoga Presents Finding Britain’s Slave Traders
David Olusoga is attracting renewed public attention in September 2026 through the BBC Two documentary series Finding Britain’s Slave Traders. The two part series examines Britain’s historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and draws on new research into the individuals who invested in and profited from the trade in enslaved Africans.
The programme follows researchers who have spent years compiling a Register of British Slave Traders containing information on thousands of people connected to the trade. Olusoga examines how involvement in slavery extended beyond a small group of famous historical figures and became connected to investors, businesses, institutions and communities across Britain.
Finding Britain’s Slave Traders premiered on BBC Two on September 21, 2026, with the second episode continuing the investigation into the expansion of the British slave trade during the eighteenth century. The series has brought Olusoga’s long standing historical focus on slavery, empire and Britain’s past back into television discussion.
David Olusoga’s Personal Life
David Olusoga generally keeps his personal life away from the centre of his public career. He has publicly referred to having a long term partner and a daughter, although detailed information about his partner’s identity and their relationship has not been consistently established in reliable public sources. He has occasionally discussed ordinary family life in interviews without making his family members part of his public profile.
Olusoga has spoken about spending time with his daughter and partner and has described aspects of his life away from television. He has also discussed his hopes for his daughter’s future, particularly in relation to race, gender and the opportunities available to younger generations.
His family background remains an important part of his wider personal story. His Nigerian heritage, British upbringing and experiences growing up in the North East have all informed the subjects he has chosen to explore professionally. He has also collaborated with his siblings Yinka and Kemi on Black History for Every Day of the Year.
David Olusoga’s Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
David Olusoga is 56 years old as of September 2026. He was born on January 5, 1970, in Lagos, Nigeria. He is British Nigerian and holds British nationality, having been born in Nigeria and raised in the United Kingdom from childhood.
David Olusoga does not publicly identify with Christianity. In interviews, he has described himself as deeply uninterested in religion and has discussed his lack of belief in God. He has nevertheless written and spoken extensively about the historical role of religion, including Christianity, in societies, slavery and empire.
David Olusoga’s exact height has not been reliably established through authoritative public biographical sources. Some online sources give different measurements, so a specific height should not be treated as confirmed. He is recognisable for his tall stature, closely cropped hair and distinctive appearance as a television historian and presenter.
David Olusoga’s Social Media Presence
David Olusoga maintains a public presence on social media, including Instagram, where he uses the handle @olusoga. His online presence is largely connected to his television work, historical projects, books, public appearances and commentary on history.
His social media activity provides audiences with updates about documentaries, lectures, publications and other professional projects. It also gives followers an opportunity to keep up with his continuing work as a historian, broadcaster and public educator.
David Olusoga’s Net Worth
David Olusoga’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified through audited financial records. His income comes from several professional areas, including television presenting, documentary production, academic work, book publishing, public speaking and other media activities. As a result, online celebrity net worth estimates should be treated as approximate rather than confirmed financial figures.
His television career has provided one of his major professional income sources, while his work as Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester provides an academic income. He has also written multiple successful history books and earns professional income through broadcasting, speaking engagements, documentary work and related projects.
Based on the length and range of his career across television, academia, publishing and public history, David Olusoga’s net worth can be estimated in the low millions of dollars for biography purposes. However, no independently verified public figure establishes his exact wealth, and his private assets, investments, savings and contractual earnings are not publicly disclosed.
David Olusoga’s Legacy
David Olusoga’s legacy is closely connected to his efforts to bring overlooked histories into mainstream public discussion. Through television programmes and books, he has explored slavery, empire, race, war, migration and Black British history while encouraging audiences to examine Britain’s past through a broader range of experiences.
His career has also helped bridge the gap between academic history and popular television. Rather than restricting historical research to academic publications, Olusoga has used documentaries, books, podcasts, lectures and public appearances to make complex historical subjects accessible to wider audiences.
His recognition includes a BAFTA Special Award, an OBE, the British Academy President’s Medal and major literary and historical awards. His continued television work, academic position and public history projects have established him as a prominent figure in British historical broadcasting and an important contributor to discussions about Britain’s relationship with its past.
Conclusion
David Olusoga has built a wide ranging career as a British Nigerian historian, author, broadcaster, filmmaker and Professor of Public History. From his childhood in Lagos and Gateshead to his work examining slavery, empire, race and British history, his professional journey has combined academic research with television storytelling. His continued work in 2026, including Finding Britain’s Slave Traders and A Gun Through Time, shows his ongoing involvement in bringing historical subjects to contemporary audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions About David Olusoga
Who is David Olusoga?
David Olusoga is a British Nigerian historian, author, broadcaster, filmmaker and Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester.
How old is David Olusoga?
David Olusoga is 56 years old as of September 2026. He was born on January 5, 1970.
Where was David Olusoga born?
David Olusoga was born in Lagos, Nigeria.
What is David Olusoga famous for?
David Olusoga is famous for his historical documentaries, books and television programmes about slavery, empire, race, Black British history and other aspects of British and global history.
What is David Olusoga’s nationality?
David Olusoga is British Nigerian. He was born in Nigeria and moved to the United Kingdom with his mother when he was five years old.
What is David Olusoga’s ethnicity?
David Olusoga has Nigerian and British heritage. His father was Nigerian and his mother was British. He has also described himself as being of Yoruba heritage.
What did David Olusoga study?
David Olusoga studied History at the University of Liverpool and later completed postgraduate study in broadcast journalism at Leeds Trinity University. He also studied at master’s level at the University of Leicester.
Did David Olusoga go to university?
Yes. David Olusoga attended the University of Liverpool, where he studied History and graduated in 1994.
What is David Olusoga’s religion?
David Olusoga has spoken publicly about his lack of belief in God and has described himself as uninterested in religion. He has nevertheless studied and discussed religion extensively as part of his historical work.
Who is David Olusoga’s wife?
David Olusoga keeps his relationship private. Publicly available profiles have referred to a long term partner, but her name and details of a marriage have not been reliably established.
Does David Olusoga have children?
Yes. David Olusoga has a daughter. He has occasionally spoken publicly about spending time with his daughter while generally keeping her life private.
What is David Olusoga’s height?
David Olusoga’s exact height has not been reliably confirmed by authoritative public sources, and online sources provide different measurements.
What is David Olusoga’s Instagram handle?
David Olusoga’s Instagram handle is @olusoga.
What is David Olusoga’s current documentary?
In September 2026, David Olusoga is presenting Finding Britain’s Slave Traders on BBC Two, a documentary series examining Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
What is Finding Britain’s Slave Traders about?
Finding Britain’s Slave Traders examines the people and institutions connected to Britain’s historical slave trade, drawing on research into thousands of individuals who invested in or benefited from the trade in enslaved Africans.
When did Finding Britain’s Slave Traders start?
Finding Britain’s Slave Traders premiered on BBC Two on September 21, 2026.
What books has David Olusoga written?
David Olusoga has written and co written books including Black and British: A Forgotten History, The World’s War, The Kaiser’s Holocaust and Civilisations. He also co created Black History for Every Day of the Year with his siblings.
What awards has David Olusoga won?
David Olusoga has received several major honours, including a BAFTA Television Award for Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize, the British Academy President’s Medal and a BAFTA Special Award. He was also appointed an OBE in 2019.
Is David Olusoga a professor?
Yes. David Olusoga is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester.
What is David Olusoga’s net worth?
David Olusoga’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified. Based on his long career across television, academia, publishing and public speaking, his wealth can be estimated in the low millions of dollars, although this is not an audited figure.
What is David Olusoga known for on television?
David Olusoga is known for presenting programmes including The World’s War, Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, Black and British: A Forgotten History, Civilisations and A House Through Time.