Dame Jenni Murray, the broadcaster best known for presenting BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, has died at the age of 75.
She led the programme for more than three decades and left in 2020 as its longest-serving host.
Murray joined Woman’s Hour in 1987 and became famous for sharp, revealing interviews with a wide range of public figures.
Her guests included political leaders and cultural icons, and some of her most talked-about moments featured exchanges with Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, Bette Davis and Joan Baez — the latter interview she described as a career high.
Born and raised in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Murray attended grammar school before studying French and drama at the University of Hull.
She began her broadcasting career in 1973 on local radio in Bristol, then moved into television with South Today and later contributed to Newsnight and Radio 4’s Today programme.
Her work won wide recognition: she was made a Dame in 2011, picked up two Sony Awards and was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.
Beyond broadcasting, Murray wrote columns for national newspapers and published books including a memoir and a guide about the menopause.
Murray spoke candidly about personal health matters on air, revealing a breast cancer diagnosis in 2006 and later discussing weight-loss surgery and menopause.
That openness became a hallmark of her style and resonated with many listeners.
Her career was not without controversy.
In 2018 she withdrew from a planned Oxford University talk after facing criticism over comments she had made about transgender people.
When she left Woman’s Hour in 2020 colleagues and public figures paid tribute to her interviewing skills and influence.
Her final programme closed with the feminist anthem I Am Woman, and friends noted her ability to put guests at ease and draw out unguarded answers.
No cause of death has been announced.
Murray leaves a significant legacy in British broadcasting as a pioneering voice for discussions about women’s lives and issues.
