Dermot Murnaghan, one of Britain’s most respected television journalists, has died aged 68 after living with stage four prostate cancer. Remembered for his calm presence on screen and decades of trusted reporting, he also spent his final year urging men to get tested for the disease.
Dermot Murnaghan, the veteran television presenter who became one of the most familiar faces in British broadcasting, has died at the age of 68.
His family announced on Saturday that he died peacefully at his home in North London, surrounded by loved ones, a year after revealing he had been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Dermot Murnaghan announces that he passed away at home in North London earlier this morning,” a statement posted on his X account said.
“He died peacefully with his family at his side.”
Murnaghan spent nearly five decades in television journalism, earning the trust of viewers through his calm delivery and measured reporting. Throughout his career, he became a familiar face on some of Britain’s biggest news programmes, including the BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten, ITV Evening News, and later Sky News.
For many viewers, he was a steady presence during some of the UK’s biggest national and international stories.
In 2025, Murnaghan revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. At the time, he said he was responding well to treatment and used his platform to encourage men to take the disease seriously.
“My message to all men over 50, in high-risk groups, or displaying symptoms, is get yourself tested and campaign for routine prostate screening by the NHS,” he said after announcing his diagnosis.
“Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms.”
His family thanked the public for the support shown throughout his illness.
“We thank everyone for the many, many kind messages of goodwill that he received over the last year since his diagnosis of Stage IV prostate cancer and his subsequent campaigning to raise awareness for screening programmes for the disease,” the statement said.
Health experts say common symptoms of prostate cancer can include frequent urination, especially at night, difficulty starting or maintaining the flow of urine, and blood in urine or semen. However, the disease can sometimes develop without obvious warning signs, making early testing particularly important.
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Born in England, Murnaghan began his broadcasting career at Channel 4 News before joining ITV, where he presented programmes including The Big Story, News at Ten, Evening News, and Nightly News during the 1990s.
He moved to the BBC in 2002, becoming one of the principal presenters of BBC Breakfast as well as the corporation’s flagship evening news bulletins.
Away from hard news, Murnaghan also showed a lighter side as host of the popular BBC quiz programme Eggheads, a role he held for more than a decade beginning in 2003.
In 2007, he joined Sky News, where he remained one of the network’s leading presenters until leaving in 2023.
His career also extended into documentary television, presenting Crimes That Shook Britain for Channel 5 and Killer Britain for the Crime + Investigation channel. More recently, he launched the podcast Legends of News, where he interviewed veteran journalists about the defining stories of their careers.
Tributes are expected to pour in from colleagues across the broadcasting industry, many of whom worked alongside him over the years.
Dermot Murnaghan leaves behind a legacy built on professionalism, trusted journalism and public service. Even during his final year, he continued using his voice to raise awareness of prostate cancer, hoping more lives could be saved through early detection.
