Dermot Murnaghan, one of the most distinguished newsreaders of his generation, died yesterday at the age of 68.

The former BBC, ITV and Sky News journalist was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer a year ago and became an outspoken advocate for men to get tested for the condition.

He died at his North London home surrounded by his family.

In 1997, he was working for ITN when he had a call in the middle of the night from editors demanding that he rush to the studio to break the news of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Working at Sky News 25 years later, Murnaghan announced the death of Elizabeth II.

Yesterday he was remembered by colleagues as a ‘legend of news’ whose calm authority made him ‘peerless in the presenter chair’.

Jonathan Munro, interim CEO of BBC News, said: ‘Dermot was a true gentleman, and a brilliant journalist and broadcaster who was much loved by viewers and by his BBC colleagues. He was a consummate professional and someone who really had a natural ability to connect with audiences.’

Broadcaster Piers Morgan said it was ‘very sad news’, adding: ‘Dermot was a terrific journalist, and a lovely man.’

Channel 4 News lead anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy said: ‘What a sad loss so young. Dermot was a very fine journalist and presenter whose career spanned all the main British broadcasters.’

Referencing Murnaghan’s tireless work for charity, he added: ‘He was also very kind.’

Former prime minister David Cameron, who has also been treated for prostate cancer, said the presenter’s decision to highlight the importance of testing will have helped many men.

‘I think it’s really important that Dermot came out in the way that he did – as in his broadcasting life, he did it with incredible clarity and just simplicity,’ he said.

‘And as someone who was so well known to people through his broadcasting career over 40 years, it will have had a huge impact.’

The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday are among those campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national screening programme, initially targeted at high-risk men, such as those who are black, have a family history of the disease or specific genetic mutation.

Each year, 12,000 men die from prostate cancer, and one in eight men develop it. But it is entirely curable if caught early, through a routine PSA test.

In an interview last year, Murnaghan spoke of how his cancer could have been prevented if it had been picked up by such a test. 

He said: ‘My instant thought, which is still with me, is, “What a fool I am.” I’ve been sitting on sofas talking to people about health stories throughout my career. I was very aware of prostate cancer and the importance of the PSA test.

‘I just thought, “Oh, I’ll get round to it.” And when I did have the test, in that moment at the hospital, it was horrendous. Of course, the levels were off the scale.’

When he revealed his diagnosis last summer, he said he was ‘responding positively’ to treatment and ‘feeling well’.

‘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,’ he added.

Murnaghan was the proud father of four children with Maria, his wife of 37 years.

He left Sky after more than 15 years in 2023, having previously presented ITV’s News At Ten and the BBC Ten O’Clock News, as well as Channel 4 News and BBC Breakfast.

He also hosted the BBC quiz show Eggheads.

John Ryley, former head of Sky News, said one of Murnaghan’s great strengths was ‘his ability to stay calm and lucid under intense pressure’, adding that he was ‘great company’.

‘He didn’t say very much, but when he did chat, what he said was golden, insightful and clear, and on the money,’ he said.

‘And what I really liked about him – which is why he was a good journalist – is he didn’t like authority and he wasn’t shy of showing it.’