Broadcasters and politicians have paid tribute to TV presenter Dermot Murnaghan, who has died a year after he revealed he had been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.
The former BBC, ITV and Sky News journalist was 68.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Dermot Murnaghan announces that he passed away at home in North London earlier this morning,” his family said in a statement posted to his X account. “He died peacefully with his family at his side.”
A fixture on British TV news across five decades, he presented flagship programmes including the ITV Evening News and the BBC News at Six and Ten.
Murnaghan was a main presenter of BBC Breakfast from September 2002 to December 2007 and also hosted quiz show Eggheads.
After revealing his diagnosis last summer, he became an outspoken advocate for men to get tested for the condition.
“Needless to say my message to all men over 50, in high risk groups, or displaying symptoms, is get yourself tested and campaign for routine prostate screening by the NHS,” he said.
“Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms.”
His family thanked the public “for the many, many kind messages of goodwill that he received over the last year since his diagnosis of Stage IV prostate cancer and his subsequent campaigning to raise awareness for screening programmes for the disease”.
Common prostate cancer symptoms can include needing to urinate more frequently, particularly at night; difficulty starting to urinate, weak flow and it taking a long time; and blood in urine or semen. However, there may be no sign or symptoms for years.
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Born in England, Murnaghan’s family moved to Northern Ireland when he was a child. He went to primary school in Armagh city and attended secondary school in Holywood, County Down.
After graduating from Sussex University, he completed a postgraduate course in Journalism at City University.
Murnaghan started his career at local newspapers, before later moving to Channel 4 News and fronting ITV shows including The Big Story and the News at 10 from 1993 to 1997, and the channel’s Evening News and Nightly News from 1999 to 2001.
In 1998, he won a Royal Television Society award for his interview with Peter Mandelson over a secret loan of £373,000 he received from his ministerial colleague Geoffrey Robinson. Mandelson resigned from government the following day.
Murnaghan moved to the BBC in 2002, as one of the main hosts of BBC Breakfast, the Six O’Clock News and the Ten O’Clock News.
He presented Eggheads for 11 years from 2003, and was one of the faces of Sky News from 2007 to 2023.
Murnaghan also hosted the documentaries Crimes That Shook Britain for Channel 5 and Killer Britain for the Crime + Investigation UK channel.
He later launched his podcast Legends of News, speaking to other seasoned journalists and correspondents about major stories they had covered.
‘A legend of news’
Tributes have been pouring in for Murnaghan.
“He was peerless in the presenter chair,” Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby posted on X.
“I loved being on set, or in Downing Street, with Dermot because he was always in absolute command but so cool too. He made handling the most high-pressure moments look effortless.”
Sky News presenter Anna Botting said he would “always be a legend of news”.
Jonathan Munro, interim CEO of BBC News, said: “Dermot was a true gentleman, and a brilliant journalist and broadcaster who was much-loved by viewers and by his BBC colleagues.”
“He was a consummate professional and someone who really had a natural ability to connect with audiences,” he added.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan said it was “very sad news”, adding that “Dermot was a terrific journalist, and a lovely man”.
Channel 4 News lead anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy said: “What a sad loss so young.”
“Dermot was a very fine journalist and presenter whose career spanned all the main British broadcasters. He was also very kind,” he said, referencing his charity work.
MP Andy Burnham, the likely incoming prime minister, said he was “so sad”, adding: “Dermot was an exceptional broadcaster and a truly decent person. I always enjoyed being in his company.”
Former Prime Minister David Cameron, who has also been treated for prostate cancer, said the presenter’s decision to highlight the importance of testing will have helped many men.
“I think it’s really important that Dermot came out in the way that he did – as in his broadcasting life, he did it with incredible clarity and just simplicity,” Lord Cameron told Sky News.
“And as someone who was so well-known to people through his broadcasting career over 40 years, it will have had a huge impact.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Murnaghan was a “broadcasting legend who we have lost far too soon”.
“His tireless advocacy, encouraging more men to get tested for prostate cancer, will no doubt have saved lives.”
