Hossain was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England to a Bangladeshi father and an English mother.
She also states that while her father never discussed religion, Hossain and her younger sister, Rezina, "were nominally Muslim".
[4] In June 2010, she replaced Katie Derham as a presenter of London Tonight, initially alongside Donal MacIntyre.
[10] In November 2022, Hossain appeared in an episode of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip alongside fellow news presenter Lucrezia Millarini.
[11] In March 2024 Hossain gained considerable attention on social media after referring to Jeremy Hunt live on ITV News as "Mr Cunt".
[2] Hossain has been in a relationship with her current partner, former editor of ITV's London Tonight regional news programme, Stuart Thomas, since the spring of 2005 and together they have three children.
[14] In 2005, Hossain drew attention from the media when she was mugged on London's South Bank, and for going to work the same day, saying that she did not consider it "a big deal".
[15] In January 2007, it was revealed that sex offender David Decoteau from London, 45, had an unhealthy interest in Hossain and that he had also sent letters to BBC newsreader Emily Maitlis.