Dermot Murnaghan, the broadcaster who fronted programmes for the BBC, ITV and Sky News over five decades, has died aged 68. His family said he passed away at his North London home on Saturday morning. "He died peacefully with his family at his side," they said in a statement, thanking medical teams and the many well-wishers who sent messages after his diagnosis of stage four prostate cancer.
Murnaghan revealed his diagnosis last summer, saying he was responding well to treatment but had fallen through the cracks because he relied on private tests through his production company. "For years I thought 'that will do me'. I'm getting tested basically once a year or every couple of years," he said at an event. "It never occurred to me that they weren't testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and I never went to my GP because I was getting other tests privately through the production company. So that's how I fell through the gaps." He urged men over 50 or in high-risk groups to get tested, adding: "Early detection is crucial."
“Veteran broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan dies aged 68 after prostate cancer diagnosis; Antiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell dies at 38.”
Born in 1958, Murnaghan began his television career at Channel 4 News before moving to ITV, where he presented The Big Story, News at Ten and the ITV Evening News. In 2002 he joined the BBC, becoming a main presenter of BBC Breakfast and the BBC News at Six and Ten, and hosted the quiz show Eggheads for more than a decade. He moved to Sky News in 2007 and remained one of its leading presenters for 15 years until his departure in 2023. He leaves his wife of 37 years, Maria Keegan, and their four children.
In a separate loss, Antiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell has died at the age of 38. Her heartbroken husband paid tribute to the popular expert, who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.