Jump to content

Dermot Murnaghan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dermot Murnaghan
Murnaghan in 2022
Born
Dermot John Murnaghan

(1957-12-26)26 December 1957
Barnstaple, Devon, England
Died11 July 2026(2026-07-11) (aged 68)
North London, England
EducationUniversity of Sussex
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • television presenter
Years active1984–2025
Employers
Notable credits
Children4

Dermot John Murnaghan (/ˈmɜːrnəhən/; 26 December 1957 – 11 July 2026) was an English media personality, notable as a journalist, news reporter and television host. He presented for numerous networks, including Channel 4, CNBC Europe, Independent Television News and BBC News. Murnaghan anchored news programmes in a variety of time slots from when he joined Sky News in 2007 until the end of February 2023. He also presented the BBC quiz show Eggheads between 2003 and 2014.

Early life and education

[edit]

Dermot John Murnaghan was born on 26 December 1957 in Barnstaple, Devon,[1] and spent much of his early childhood in Northern Ireland following a family relocation. The family settled sequentially in Armagh, Newry (County Down), and later Holywood. His schooling took place at St Malachy's Primary School in Armagh and Sullivan Upper School, a grammar institution located in Holywood.[2] Murnaghan went on to study history at the University of Sussex, where he earned a master's degree in 1980. He subsequently undertook postgraduate training in journalism at City University London.[3]

Journalism career

[edit]

Murnaghan began his journalism career as a trainee reporter with local newspapers before transitioning to television. He joined Channel 4 as a researcher and later worked as a reporter on The Business Programme. After a brief period presenting for the European Business Channel in Switzerland, he returned to the UK in 1989 to contribute to Channel 4's breakfast programme The Channel Four Daily, where he presented business segments. He later became one of the programme's lead presenters.[4]

Murnaghan joined ITV in 1992 presenting bulletins and ITV Lunchtime News, and would occasionally cover News at Ten. On 31 August 1997, as an ITN news presenter, Murnaghan broke the news of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, to viewers on ITV.[4] When ITV relaunched its news output in March 1999, he presented ITV Nightly News before switching to ITV Evening News in January 2001. He also worked on ITV's general election coverage in 2001.[5] Between 1993 and 1997, he also presented the current affairs series The Big Story.[1]

From September 2002 to December 2007, Murnaghan was a main presenter of BBC Breakfast, replacing Jeremy Bowen. He presented the show alongside Sophie Raworth, Natasha Kaplinsky, Kate Silverton, Sian Williams, and Susanna Reid.[6] He co-presented BBC Breakfast from Monday to Thursday, as well as regularly fronting national BBC news bulletins, until December 2007 when he left to move to Sky News.[7]

In October 2007, it was announced that Murnaghan would be leaving the BBC for Sky News. He became the second news presenter to depart the corporation in the same month; Natasha Kaplinsky also left to join Five News, produced by Sky.[8] His final edition of Breakfast aired on 20 December 2007.[9]

From January 2011 until December 2016, Murnaghan presented his own show, Murnaghan, on Sky News. It aired on Sunday mornings from 10 am until 12 noon. He began presenting Sky News Tonight from Monday to Thursday in September 2016. For the 2019 general election, Murnaghan hosted Sky News' overnight coverage, entitled The Brexit Election.[10]

Murnaghan announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sky News on 8 September 2022 and then presented the funeral coverage with Anna Botting.[11] In February 2023, he left Sky News after 16 years.[12]

Presenting

[edit]

Murnaghan co-presented BBC Two's Treasure Hunt (2002–2003), a revival of an earlier format on Channel 4 alongside Suzi Perry, he also presented the BBC Two daytime show Eggheads from 2003 until 2014, as well as its short-lived spin-off series Are You an Egghead? in 2008 and 2009. Following his move to Sky News, he shared the Eggheads role with Jeremy Vine, who subsequently became the sole presenter in series 16. Murnaghan guest presented reports for different travel shows including ITV's Wish You Were Here...? and BBC One's rival programme Holiday. He made a cameo as a newsreader in the 2004 film Wimbledon.[13]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Murnaghan was an Arsenal fan.[14] On 9 March 2017, Murnaghan was involved in a hit-and-run accident. He was cycling through Kentish Town, north-west London, to his work at Sky News when the accident took place. Speaking to Sky News, he said the driver of the car that hit him had been using a mobile phone when the incident occurred. The accident forced him off air from his Sky News show and resulted in large bruise marks on the left-hand side of his face. Murnaghan thanked a "good Samaritan" who saw what had happened and told him that the car had sped off.[15][16]

In June 2025, Murnaghan disclosed that he had been diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer, stating that he was responding well to treatment and encouraging men over 50 to seek early screening.[17] Murnaghan died from the illness at his home in North London, on 11 July 2026, aged 68;[9][14] tributes were paid by Mark Austin,[18] Beth Rigby, and Piers Morgan.[19]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Hayward, Anthony (11 July 2026). "Dermot Murnaghan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  2. ↑ Roberts, Hannah (24 June 2025). "Former Sky presenter Dermot Murnaghan diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer". News Letter. National World. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "BBC News – Breakfast – Dermot Murnaghan". BBC News. BBC. 15 September 2002. Archived from the original on 15 September 2002. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Dermot Murnaghan, news presenter whose dapper manner hid a rapier-sharp interrogation technique". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "ITV reveal election team". BBC News. 24 April 2001. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "BBC poaches Murnaghan for breakfast". The Guardian. 16 July 2002. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Murnaghan defects to Sky News". The Guardian. 18 October 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Welsh, James (18 October 2007). "Murnaghan quits BBC, joins Sky News". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  9. 1 2 "TV presenter Dermot Murnaghan dies aged 68". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 July 2026. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Brexit election: How to follow all the drama on Sky News". Sky News. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Waterson, Jim (17 September 2022). "'Do it solemnly, quickly, and shut up': how TV is preparing for the royal funeral". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Tobitt, Charlotte (23 February 2023). "Dermot Murnaghan to leave Sky News after 16 years". Press Gazette. Archived from the original on 22 April 2026. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Douglas, Torin (8 March 2005). "Too many stars in their eyes?". Newswatch. BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  14. 1 2 "Dermot Murnaghan, former Sky News and BBC presenter, has died". Sky News. 11 July 2026. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Presenter Dermot Murnaghan reveals his injuries after hit-and-run attack". The Telegraph. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.(registration required)
  16. ↑ "Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan 'wiped out' in hit-and-run accident". Sky News. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  17. ↑ Youngs, Ian (23 June 2025). "TV presenter Dermot Murnaghan reveals stage four cancer". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  18. ↑ Washington, Samantha; Austin, Mark (11 July 2026). "Mark Austin: Dermot Murnaghan was naturally composed". Sky News. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Wright, George; Lambert, Guy (11 July 2026). "Tributes paid to TV presenter Dermot Murnaghan". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dermot_Murnaghan&oldid=1364962974"