Rostom was a prominent figure in Arab media throughout the 1960s. She famously earned the moniker The Celebrity Hunter for her bold and fearless approach to interviewing influential personalities from Egypt and beyond.

Born on 11 February 1937 in Cairo, she moved to Alexandria due to her father’s career. The famous Egyptian actor Zaki Rostom was her uncle.

Rostom earned a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University in the United States and began her broadcasting career with a six-month stint on the European Programme radio. Her breakthrough came when she joined Egyptian television at its launch on 23 July 1960.

Throughout her career, Rostom hosted several distinguished programmes covering politics, society, and the arts. She was at the helm of two major Egyptian television shows: The Bright Room and Twenty Questions.

Additionally, she presented four French-language news segments, four English-language lessons as part of educational programming, and news bulletins for the show A Window on the World.

One of her most famous programmes, Your Favourite Star, featured over 150 distinguished guests, including renowned writers, journalists, and artists like Taha Hussein, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Tawfiq al-Hakim.

She also conducted a memorable interview with American boxing legend Muhammad Ali, further solidifying her status as one of the foremost broadcasters of her era.

In the late 1960s, Rostom began a new chapter in her career by working for Beirut Television while living there.

She also hosted several influential programmes, including An Evening with the Past, Between Truth and Fantasy, and Literary Trials.