Tributes have been paid to journalist and broadcaster Dame Jenny Murray, who has died aged 75.
Dame Jenny hosted the BBC’s Woman’s Hour for more than 30 years, stepping down in 2020.
He received his degree in 2011 for his contribution to broadcasting, having been awarded an OBE in 1999.
Dame Jenny announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.
A family statement to the Daily Mail said Dame Jenny died on March 12.
‘We are all indebted to him’
Baroness Harriet Harman, former deputy leader of the Labor Party, praised Dame Jenny’s importance to “the women’s movement which changed our politics, the economy and our society; which changed our lives”.
In a post on X, the colleague wrote: “She was the broadcasting arm of the women’s movement. We are all grateful to her. RIP.”
Talent management firm Knight Ayton said she was a “true professional and leader”.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the firm said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dame Jenny Murray.
“We began representing Jenny in 2020 when she was leaving Woman’s Hour after a long career at Radio 4.
“In line with her sense of fun, she surprised many by taking part in ITV’s The Real Full Monty that same year, earning considerable praise. The announcement of her participation became front-page news. Her reason for taking part was simple. To encourage more women to get screened for breast cancer.
“Last year she returned to the BBC to present a series featuring female musicians for Radio 3, Jenny Murray. We loved working with Jenny, a true professional and pioneer.
“She interviewed every Prime Minister of the last 30 years, she was as comfortable with high-powered politicians as she was with Madeleine McCann’s grieving parents, and the first Hollywood star she encountered was Bette Davis.
“The late foreign correspondent Charles Wheeler described Jenny as ‘the most beautiful voice I ever heard on the radio.'”
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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.
He 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.
Tributes were paid to Dame Jenny, with the outgoing BBC director general Tim Davie saying: “This is incredibly sad news and our thoughts are with all of Dame Jenny’s family and friends.
“Simply put, Dame Jenny was a broadcasting icon. During her three unprecedented decades on Woman’s Hour, Jenny created a safe space for her audiences thanks to her warmth, intelligence and courage.
“We will all miss him greatly. His legacy lives on in the countless conversations he started, the many issues he raised and the lives he touched.”
Mohit Bakaya, Controller of BBC Radio 4 and Director of BBC Speech Audio, said: “Jenny Murray was a tremendous voice in British broadcasting, 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.
“Jenny has left an indelible legacy on generations of listeners. We are deeply grateful for her outstanding contribution to Radio 4, and she will be deeply missed.”
Dame Jenny, who was originally from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, is survived by her husband David Fordham and two sons.
Writer Liz Fraser also paid tribute on social media, remembering the broadcaster’s “deep, no-nonsense, authoritative but somehow equally soothing, reassuring and often slightly cheeky voice” during her tenure at Woman’s Hour.
Fraser wrote of her time on Woman’s Hour: “Jenny was absolutely lovely to (my daughter) and me, and we combined motherhood and work together like women do… and we can thank her for the work of the many guests she interviewed and supported in their careers.
“Thank you for the countless hours of education and entertainment about women’s lives that touched so many of us.”
