Journalist and broadcaster Dame Jenni Murray has died at the age of 75.
Dame Jenni hosted the BBC’s Woman’s Hour for more than 30 years, stepping down in 2020.
She received her damehood in recognition of her contribution to broadcasting in 2011 and was awarded an OBE in 1999.
She announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.
Some of her interviewees on Woman’s Hour included Margaret Thatcher, author Margaret Atwood and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, as well as Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams, Gloria Steinem, Bette Davis and Monica Lewinsky.
She also interviewed Anna Politkovskaya, Kate McCann, 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.
Dame Jenni was a “true professional and a pioneer”, talent management firm Knight Ayton said.
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In a statement, a spokeswoman for the firm said: “We are very sad to learn of the death of Dame Jenni Murray.
“We started representing Jenni in 2020 as she was leaving Woman’s Hour after a long career at Radio 4.
“True to her spirit of fun, she surprised many by taking part in ITV’s The Real Full Monty to great acclaim the same year. The announcement of her participation made front page news. Her reason for taking part was simple. To encourage more women to check for breast cancer.
“Last year she returned to the BBC to present a series for Radio 3, Jenni Murray’s Women Composers. We loved working Jenni, a true professional and pioneer.
“She interviewed every prime minister of the last 30 years, she was as comfortable with high-powered politicians as with the grieving parents of Madeleine McCann, and the first Hollywood star she encountered was Bette Davis.
“The late foreign correspondent Charles Wheeler described Jenni as having ‘the most beautiful voice on the radio – ever’.”
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Tributes poured in for Dame Jenni, with outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie saying: “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 at BBC Radio 4 and director of BBC Speech Audio, said: “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, rigour 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.”
Dame Jenni, who was originally from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, leaves behind her husband, David Forgham, and her two children.
