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Martha Kearney: From the LBC switchboard to presenting the BBC’s Today Programme

Legends of News

Saturday, 1 November 2025 - 53 minutes

Martha Kearney, one of Britain’s most respected political journalists, joins Dermot Murnaghan to reflect on a career that’s taken her from the phones at LBC to the BBC’s Today programme. She talks about covering elections from the battle bus, reporting through the peace process in Northern Ireland, and interviewing leaders from Thatcher to Blair.Martha recalls the chaos of early commercial radio, the moment Margaret Thatcher turned on her, and the brutal 3am starts that came with fronting Britain’s flagship news show. She reflects on how politics, journalism, and public trust have changed — and what it still means to hold power to account.Follow Dermot:@DermotMurnaghanInstagram: @legendsofnewspodcastX: @LegendsofNewsFollow Sassy+:Instagram: @sassyplus_/LinkedIn: in/sassy plus/TikTok: @sassyplus_

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