born in 1944 in nottingham, white took a placement in cameroon with vso after graduating from cambridge. he joined the bbc in the late 1960s. apart from his work as a journalist on african affairs, he has worked in educational broadcasting and on the british domestic culture and arts programme, "kaleidoscope". he is also a published playwright, with work broadcast by the bbc. robin is married to mary catherine restieaux, a textile weaving artist whose work has been exhibited at the victoria & albert museum.