He is the middle east editor for The Times and previously in the same post at The Daily Telegraph.
[1] Spencer moved to Cairo, Egypt in the wake of the Arab Spring for ease of coverage.
A former blogger for The Daily Telegraph, he is known for his witty anecdotes and dry sense of humour.
[2] Spencer was the first Western journalist to reach Yingxiu after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake where 80% of the town had been destroyed.
[6] Spencer is married to writer and poet, Dr Helen Wing; the couple have three children together.