Newsreader Dermot Murnaghan today revealed he has been diagnosed with ‘advanced’ stage four prostate cancer.
The former Sky News and BBC broadcaster has said he is ‘feeling well’ despite the devastating news.
‘I’m blessed to be fortified by the monumental love and support of my wife, family and close friends’, he said today.
Stage four is the most advanced stage of cancer, meaning cancerous cells have spread beyond the prostate and into other areas of the body. In these cases it is generally not curable, but it can treatable.
The 67-year-old, who has been married to his wife Maria for almost 36 years and has four children, revealed his diagnosis on Twitter this afternoon.
‘I’ve been diagnosed with stage four advanced prostate cancer I’m fortunate to have a simply outstanding medical team looking after me, who I can’t thank enough – they are administering the best possible care with expertise, compassion and sensitivity’, he wrote.
‘I’m responding positively to their excellent treatment, and feeling well’.
Mr Murnaghan also issued a plea to men to get tested, especially if they are aged over 50, in high-risk groups or have symptoms. The Mail is campaigning for a national prostate cancer screening programme for high-risk men, similar to that for breast cancer, which could prevent hundreds of deaths.
Dermot will be taking part in a charity cycle event in support of Sir Chris Hoy, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2023. In his case, the cancer is terminal.
Mr Murnaghan said: ‘Needless to say 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.
‘Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms’.
Dermot left Sky after more than 15 years in 2023.
Before joining Sky News, Murnaghan presented ITV’s News At Ten and the BBC Ten O’Clock News – now known as BBC News At Ten – as well as Channel 4 News.
Murnaghan has also hosted the BBC’s quiz programme Eggheads.
While at Sky News he was the journalist who announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace as well as numerous elections in the UK and the US.
He began his career as a trainee reporter at local newspapers before joining Channel 4 as a researcher. He later became a reporter for the broadcaster’s The Business Programme.
After a brief stint in Switzerland to present the European Business Channel, Mr Murnaghan returned to Britain to host the business segments on The Channel 4 Daily, a new breakfast show by Channel 4.
He then made the move to ITV in the early 1990s, where in 1997 he broke the news of the death of Princess Diana.
The veteran journalist switched broadcasters again in the early 2000s, joining BBC Breakfast as one of the lead presenters from 2002 to 2007.
Dermot formed a very popular partnership with Natasha Kaplinsky.
He was also a regular fixture on the six o’clock and ten o’clock news.
He moved to Sky News in October 2007, where he has remained until his final show almost 16 years later.
Away from news, he presented a number of documentaries and the popular BBC quiz, Eggheads.
In 2017 the newsreader was ‘wiped out’ by a driver while he was cycling.
The accident, which he described as a ‘hit-and-run’, left him with a number of cuts and bruises as well as a damaged bike.
He shared the image of his injured face on social media with the caption: ‘This is why I haven’t been on the air for two days.’
Speaking to Sky News, he said afterwards: ‘On an empty road in north London a guy in a car on a mobile phone pulled out from the side of the road without indicating.
‘I swerved that, but a millisecond later he U-turned into me and wiped me out.’
Mr Murnaghan, who is an avid cyclist, explained that he had woken up at 6am to go cycling with friends before work and had been wearing a hi-vis jacket.
He said: ‘Twenty minutes later I was lying by the side of the road with a broken cycle helmet and a hobbled bike, still spinning, lights shining – and a variety of cuts, bruises and abrasions, but thankfully no broken bones.’
