Dermot Murnaghan

About

Dermot is one of the most recognisable faces in British broadcasting. He has a wealth of experience working in the media having been a journalist for both of Britain’s largest media networks, he is also one of the highest paid men on television

Dermot Murnaghan graduated with a master’s degree in history in 1980. He then completed a postgraduate course in journalism at City University London.

Murnaghan worked as a trainee reporter on local newspapers before joining Channel 4 as a researcher and later a reporter for The Business Programme.

He presented the European Business Channel in Switzerland before being recalled by ITN to present the World News on The Channel 4 Daily between 1991 and 1992 after the departure of original anchor Carol Barnes.

He later presented the ITV Evening News and the ITV Nightly News when ITV relaunched their news output in 1999. He also worked on ITV’s general election coverage in 2001.

From September 2002 to December 2007 Murnaghan was a main presenter of BBC Breakfast, replacing Jeremy Bowen. He was also a regular stand-in on the BBC Six O’Clock News and BBC Ten O’Clock News and co-presented the BBC News at Six on Fridays from September 2003 to summer 2007 allongside Sian Williams.

It was revealed in October 2007 that Murnaghan would be quitting the BBC for Sky News.

Before departing for Sky, Murnaghan presented the BBC Two daytime shows Eggheads and Are You an Egghead?. He also presented the BBC revival of Channel 4’s 1980s hit Treasure Hunt alongside Suzi Perry.

Murnaghan has guest presented reports for different travel shows including ITV’s Wish You Were Here…? and BBC One’s rival programme Holiday. He has made cameos as a newsreader in the 2004 film Wimbledon, Absolute Power and Midnight Man.

In 2006 Murnaghan was president of the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) and presented the TRIC Awards 2007.

As of 9 January 2011, Murnaghan started presenting his own show called Murnaghan on Sky News that airs Sunday mornings from 10.00am to 12.00pm.

Dermot is superb as a host and also an excellent after dinner speaker.