Dame Jenni Murray, who hosted BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour from 1987 to 2020, has died at the age of 75.
The esteemed broadcaster was the Radio 4 programme’s longest-serving presenter.
Following her death, director-general Tim Davie hailed her as a ‘broadcasting icon’.
He said: ‘This is incredibly sad news, and our thoughts are with all of Dame Jenni’s family and friends. Dame Jenni was, simply put, a broadcasting icon.
‘Throughout her three groundbreaking decades on Woman’s Hour, Jenni created a safe space for her audience thanks to her warmth, intelligence, and courage.
‘We shall all miss her terribly. Her legacy endures in the countless conversations she started, the many issues she championed, and the lives she touched.’
Mohit Bakaya, controller of BBC Radio 4 and director of BBC speech audio, also paid tribute: ‘Jenni Murray was a formidable voice in British broadcasting who was warm, fearless, and beloved by listeners.
‘During her decades at Woman’s Hour, she helped shape the national conversation with intelligence, rigor, and a remarkable ability to connect with audiences.
‘Jenni leaves an indelible legacy on generations of listeners. We are profoundly grateful for her outstanding contribution to Radio 4, and she will be deeply missed.’
BBC Radio 4’s official Instagram page also shared the announcement, under which Katie Piper commented: ‘This is so sad. Fond memories of being interviewed by her ❤️’
Fans also declared her ‘an iconic voice’ who will be ‘very sadly missed’.
Dame Jenni, born in Barnsley, began her career on the airwaves at BBC Radio Bristol in 1973 before becoming a reporter of regional news on South Today.
She also appeared as a newsreader and presenter on Newsnight, where she worked for two years before moving across to Radio 4.
Dame Jenni took over from Sue MacGregor on Woman’s Hour, the hugely popular show that discusses topics relevant to a female audience, six years ago, hosting her final show after 33 years on October 1, 2020.
Throughout her tenure, she interviewed high-profile figures such as Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams, Gloria Steinem, Bette Davis, Monica Lewinsky, and Hillary Clinton.
She also interviewed Anna Politkovskaya, Kate McCann, Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, Wangari Maathai, Benazir Bhutto, Dame Judi Dench, Saoirse Ronan, and Joan Baez, who sang Diamonds And Rust in the studio especially for the host.
Her contribution to broadcasting earned her a damehood in 2011. She also received honorary degrees from the University of St Andrews and the University of Salford, plus a Doctor of Letters from the University of Chester in 2019.
She signed off her final episode of Woman’s Hour with Helen Reddy’s feminist anthem I Am Woman.
Beyond her broadcasting work, Dame Jenni wrote several books, her first being Woman’s Hour: 50 Years of British Women in 1996, and her last being Fat Cow, Fat Chance: The Science and Psychology of Size in 2020.
She had been married twice, firstly to Brian Murray, whom she wed at age 21 and remained with for six years, and secondly to David Forgham. She and Forgham have two grown-up sons.
In December 2006, Dame Jenni announced to listeners that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She informed them that her prognosis was good, and she was back at work after a few months.
Upon her return, she candidly discussed her treatment, admitting that she became most emotional when she lost her hair.
The following November, it was announced that she had become a patron of the British medical research charity Breast Cancer Campaign.
And in 2020, Dame Jenni offered further education by demonstrating a self-breast examination on The Real Full Monty on Ice.
She also connected with listeners by stressing the importance of raising awareness of the issues impacting women’s health, while also being vocal about her own experience of menopause.
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