Dermot Murnaghan: News anchor dies aged 68 as family releases statement
TV presenter and former Sky News anchor Dermot Murnaghan has died aged 68 “following a period of illness with prostate cancer”, his family said in a statement.
The media personality was a long-term news presenter, best known for his 15-year tenure as a lead anchor for Sky News.
He also presented the news for Channel 4, as well as flagship programmes such as the ITV Evening News and the BBC News at Six and Ten during his five-decades career as a journalist and broadcaster.
In a statement published to his X account on Saturday, his family said: “It is with great sadness that the family of Dermot Murnaghan announces that he passed away at home in North London earlier this morning (11th July) at the age of 68 following a period of illness with prostate cancer.
“He died peacefully with his family at his side.
“The family wish to thank the medical teams who cared for Dermot with such sensitivity and extraordinary compassion throughout his illness.
“Also, for the many, many kind messages of goodwill that he received over the last year since his diagnosis of stage four prostate cancer and his subsequent campaigning to raise awareness for screening programmes for the disease.”
“In accordance with his wishes, the funeral will be a small family ceremony.
“A memorial service for friends and colleagues will follow at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street (the Journalists’ Church) later this year.
“The family request that anyone wishing to remember him considers supporting Prostate Cancer UK, Prostate Cancer Research and North London Hospice so that others may benefit from the research and care he received.”
Murnaghan announced his “incurable but it’s not untreatable” prostate cancer diagnosis last year and, following this, he became a vocal advocate and campaigner in raising awareness for the disease.