Isobel Yeung reports from the frontlines for Showtime’s ‘Vice’

Whether it’s an Italian city brought to its knees by the COVID-19 pandemic or civilians under siege in war-torn Syria, Isobel Yeung has born witness to scenes of suffering that most can’t even imagine.

Those images are hard for her to forget. But rather than dwell on the horror that she’s seen, the correspondent for the Showtime newsmagazine “Vice” considers herself fortunate to be able to cover these pivotal stories and meet some extraordinary people.

“You’ve just seen something so out-of-theworld feeling and so bizarre and incredible and insane,” the British-born and -raised journalist explains. “And you get to meet people at the most incredible junctures of their lives, sometimes the most crucial moments, sometimes the most terrifying moments and heartbreaking moments, the most empowering moments. And it’s just such a privilege. It’s amazing to be able to do that and to be able to meet those people.”

The Emmy-winning investigative documentary series opens its second season Sunday, March 7, with more long-form, on-the-ground explorations of our world today. Across 13 episodes, the series aims to shed light on an array of international issues encompassing global conflicts, civil uprisings and a range of other topics. Paola Ramos returns as host along with correspondents Seb Walker and Yeung.

As for segments she’s working on for this season, Yeung wasn’t at liberty to say but she does allow that she will be reporting on stories “that the U.S. audience, I feel, should be aware of. So for example, conflicts America has their footprints in or, broadly speaking, China/U.S. relationships and how that’s impacting individuals both in the U.S. as well as in Asia.”

That will likely include the pandemic, the big story of the past year that will probably again be in Season 2. For her part, Yeung says it’s limited ability to travel and report, but on the plus side it’s made her more creative with her reporting and investigating.

“(It has) kind of forced us to lean more on various local sources as well as use other open-source investigative techniques and just be a little bit more imaginative in the way that we’re doing things,” she says. “And also I’ve been very lucky. I have been able to travel somewhat (using) those various kinds of journalist exemptions that you can get to certain places on. So yeah, it’s kind of been a mixed bag.”