government that has been accused of spying on 5G networks in the UK and other Western nations. Harri personally met with top executives from Huawei, including the company's vice-president, in 2020. Harri was critical of Boris Johnson over alleged parties in Downing Street and Westminster during COVID-19 lockdowns, although he has argued that people were losing their "sense of perspective" over the controversy. After a wave of resignations from Boris Johnson's team at 10 Downing Street in February 2022 in light of the scandal, he became Downing Street Director of Communications, replacing Jack Doyle. Harri left his Director of Communications post on 6 September 2022, the same day that Johnson resigned as Prime Minister. Family and personal life Harri grew up in Rhondda Cynon Taf. He married his wife, Shireen, in 2000 and has three children. In 2005, Harri published an advert in the Western Mail seeking a Welsh-speaking nanny for their two children while he worked for the BBC in New York, in which he argued for the importance of the language in bringing up his children. Outside of work he says he enjoys rowing, sailing, fishing and cooking. Harri is a non-executive board member for the Hay Festival. He was previously a trustee for UK-based cultural non-governmental organisation Visiting Arts. Harri is trained and serves as a volunteer crew member on the River Thames for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of South Wales. References External links Guto Harri calls Boris Johnson a "buffoon" Guto Harri linked to S4C role Profile at BBC Newswatch 1966 births Living people Journalists from Cardiff Alumni of The Queen's College, Oxford Alumni of Cardiff University Welsh-speaking journalists Welsh television journalists BBC Cymru Wales newsreaders and journalists BBC newsreaders and journalists People educated at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari