English journalist and broadcaster

Dame Jennifer Susan Murray, DBE (née Bailey; born 12 May 1950) is an English journalist and broadcaster, best known for presenting BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour from 1987 to 2020.

Contents

• 1 Early life
• 2 Career
• 3 Personal life and views
• 4 Health issues
• 5 Honours
• 6 Charities
• 7 References

Early life

Murray was born in Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire, and attended Barnsley Girls' High School, a grammar school, leaving with A levels in French, English and History. She has a degree in French and Drama from the University of Hull.

Career

Murray joined BBC Radio Bristol in 1973 before becoming a reporter and presenter for regional TV news programme South Today. She was a newsreader and later one of the presenters of the BBC's Newsnight television show for two years from 1983, before moving to BBC Radio 4 to present Today. She took over from Sue MacGregor as presenter of Woman's Hour in 1987. She has presented BBC Radio 4's The Message and written for magazines and newspapers including The Guardian, Daily Express and the Daily Mail. She hosted her final Woman's Hour on 1 October 2020.

She has written several books, including:

• 1996 – Woman's Hour, 50 years of British Women
• 2003 – That's My Boy
• 2003 – Is It Me, or Is It Hot in Here?: A Modern Woman's Guide to the Menopause
• 2009 – Memoirs of a Not So Dutiful 'Daughter'
• 2011 – My Boy Butch: The heart-warming true story of a little dog who made life worth living again
• 2017 – Woman's Hour: Words from Wise, Witty and Wonderful Women
• 2018 – A History of the World in 21 Women: A Personal Selection
• 2020 – Fat Cow, Fat Chance: The Science and Psychology of Size

Personal life and views

Murray married her first husband Brian Murray aged 21; their marriage ended after six years. She later married David Forgham and the couple have two grown-up sons.

Murray has been criticised for her statements on transgender issues. Writing for The Sunday Times in March 2017, Murray penned an article headlined "Jenni Murray: Be trans, be proud – but don't call yourself a 'real woman'." Rachel Steins, campaigns director for Stonewall, criticised Murray's statements as "reductive and hurtful."

Health issues

On 21 December 2006 Murray announced, at the end of Woman's Hour, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She informed her audience that her prognosis was good; she did indeed return early in 2007. She reported that the most emotionally upsetting moment was losing her hair, and used this as an item on the centrality of hair to definitions of femininity. In 2020 Murray announced that she would demonstrate proper self-breast examination techniques on The Real Full Monty On Ice television program, alongside Linda Lusardi and Hayley Tamaddon.

Murray has been vocal and visible in the media with regard to her own experience of menopause, HRT and the importance of raising awareness of this aspect of women's health in the workplace and more generally

In 2008 she had a hip replacement following avascular necrosis.

Murray had a sleeve gastrectomy in June 2015, and had lost over 4 stone (56:lb; 25:kg) by October that year.

Honours

Murray was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to broadcasting in 1999 and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.

In 2007 Murray was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honorary degree from the University of St Andrews in recognition of Jenni Murray's major contribution to broadcasting, journalism and writing.

In March 2012 Murray was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Salford for contributions to the media industry and to the growing links between the University and its neighbours at Salford Quays.

On 5 November 2019 Murray was awarded a Doctor of Letters from the University of Chester, for outstanding contribution to journalism and broadcasting.

Charities

In November 2007 it was announced Murray had been named patron of British medical research charity Breast Cancer Campaign. She is also patron of the Family Planning *ociation, vice-president of Parkinson's UK and a supporter of Humanists UK.

References