Xand van Tulleken

Dr Xand van Tulleken is a renowned Public Health, Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Anthropology expert. He is widely recognized as one of the leading science presenters at the BBC, having contributed to numerous flagship Health & Science programs. Together with his twin brother Chris, Xand co-hosts CBBC's highly successful show, Operation Ouch! This globally acclaimed series showcases self-experimentation and laboratory work to educate children about the inner workings of hospitals and the human body. Operation Ouch! has received numerous nominations and accolades, including two children's BAFTA awards and a Broadcast Award for Best Children's Program. In 2021, Chris and Xand launched their award-winning podcast, A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand, which quickly rose to the top of various podcast charts. The podcast delves into Xand's exploration of his relationship with ultra-processed food as he meets leading experts on food, weight, taste, and addiction. In 2022, the second season of the podcast focused on the concept of personal change and how individuals achieve it. In 2019, Xand and Chris developed and hosted 'Twinstitute' for BBC Two, a show that tested competing health theories with the help of 30 pairs of identical twins. They also hosted 'Planet Child,' an ITV program providing a landmark global childhood development perspective. Xand's television credits include 'Truth About Carbs' on BBC One in 2018, 'Expedition Volcano' on BBC Two in 2017, and 'Fighting For Air,' a BBC One current affairs film that shed light on the detrimental impact of pollution on British cities and its effects on our health. All these programs received critical acclaim. Xand is also a prolific author, having written three books: 'How to Lose Weight Well,' a companion to the popular Channel 4 series; 'Operation Ouch! The HuManual,' a children's book on human biology; and 'Secrets of the Human Body,' which coincided with the groundbreaking BBC Two Science series he co-hosted with Chris. In the United States, Xand served as a health reporter for CNN. He played a prominent role during the Ebola crisis and appeared on various US networks, including Al Jazeera, MSNBC, FOX5, and the BBC World Service. In 2016, he filmed his first US series for MSNBC, 'The Chain,' which delved into real medical mysteries. Xand and Chris grew up in London and pursued medical studies at Oxford University. Xand specialized in tropical medicine and worked as a junior doctor during the Darfur genocide. This experience ignited his passion for the intersection of politics and medicine in conflict zones, leading to his academic appointment at Fordham University in the US. He has since returned to London, focusing on writing, broadcasting, and healthcare in the UK. Xand is currently a lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.