ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Wafaa Al-Kilani: A Prominent Egyptian Journalist and TV Presenter

Wafaa El-Kilani, born on September 10, 1972, in Cairo, Egypt, is a renowned Egyptian journalist and television presenter. Her transition to MBC1 brought her significant success during the "Nourt" program, where she hosted numerous celebrities from the Arab world's sports, art, and politics.

El Kilani was born into a Muslim family with two sisters, Fadia and Samaa, who studied engineering and economics respectively. Her father, an Egyptian businessman who graduated from Al-Azhar University's Arabic Department, encouraged her to pursue journalism. Due to her father's work, the family moved between several Arab countries during her childhood. She pursued higher education in political science at Benghazi University in Libya before completing her studies in psychology.

El Kilani began her career working with various media channels, including the Arab Radio and Television Network, where she met her future husband Tony Mikhael. The couple married civilly in Cyprus on August 25, 2008, followed by a Muslim marriage in Egypt after Tony converted to Islam due to his family's initial opposition to their interfaith marriage. They have two children together: Judy, born in May 2009, and Ryan, born in 2011.

In July 2016, El Kilani announced her separation from Tony Mikhael after eight years of marriage and initiated divorce proceedings. The couple agreed that the mother would retain priority in raising their children, with continued care by the father according to Lebanese laws related to family matters. In May 2017, she began dating Syrian actor Tim Hassan and became engaged.

Throughout her career, El Kilani has presented numerous TV interview shows for various Arabic media channels, establishing herself as one of the most popular Arab presenters. Her notable works include "Without Censorship" on LBC in 2009 and her work with MBC1's "Nourt" program. She has interviewed prominent Arab celebrities such as Adel Emam and Kazem al Saher.

El Kilani is a proud Egyptian Muslim, having stated that she did not marry a Christian despite marrying Tony Mikhael, who converted to Islam due to his family's opposition. Her personal life has been subject to media attention, with her high-profile marriages and relationships making headlines in the Arab world.