i am kinda new to the bbc and from what i see is that alistair yates seems to be a seinor broadcast journalist. if so, how did he get stuck with the night shift?
As pointed out in the past, he is indeed "stuck in the nightshift" in terms of the UK and European time zones. However, Alastair's time slot is simulcast on BBC World, as BBC World and News 24 share the same transmissions overnight.
Therefore, when you are watching Alastair on the nightshift, he is my Breakfast Presenter (I am in the Middle East). People in Singapore and SE Asia will be seeing him at lunchtime news time, and farther afield he will be presenting early evening news!!! He will be seen in the USA as primetime anchor and their equivalent of News at Ten time!!
He is well known around the world, due to his past experience with DW TV and, of course, BBC World.
Probably my favourite BBC newscaster - distinguished, authoritative and highly professional. Whilst he has a prime slot, the Ten would be my preference for him...