Christa Ackroyd: Breaking glass ceilings, covering the Yorkshire Ripper and the power of regional TV

Legends of News

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Saturday, 26 July 2025 - 44 minutes

From a decade of men-only bars and newsroom sexism, Christa Ackroyd fought her way to the front line of British journalism.In this episode, Dermot Murnaghan sits down with pioneering journalist and broadcaster Christa Ackroyd for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about local journalism, resilience, and the role of women in news.Christa reflects on her trailblazing career in regional television, including two decades dominating the airwaves across Yorkshire on Calendar and Look North. She shares the emotional story of reporting the Yorkshire Ripper murders at just 19 years old, her battles against misogyny in the newsroom, and how the Brontë sisters shaped her drive to defy expectations.Christa also reveals:How newsroom sexism nearly kept her off air during the Gulf War — and how she fought backThe moment she realised journalism wasn’t about scoops, but about standing with the voicelessHow Richard Whiteley, granny knickers and laughter shaped 20 years of legendary broadcastsWhy she believes regional news has lost its soulThe lesson she learned from the Brontës: break rules, challenge power, and don’t wait to be invitedWhy she wants her gravestone to read: “Just one more thing…”For more information email LegendsofNews@Sassyplus.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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