Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Guru-Murthy at Chatham House in 2013
Born (1970-04-05) 5 April 1970
Liverpool, England
Alma materHertford College, Oxford
OccupationJournalist
Years active1988–present
Television
Children2
RelativesGeeta Guru-Murthy (sister)

Krishnan Guru-Murthy (born 5 April 1970) is a British journalist. He is the lead presenter of Channel 4 News. He also presents Unreported World, a foreign-affairs documentary series.[1][2]

Early life

Guru-Murthy's father, an Indian consultant radiologist, worked in Blackburn and Burnley. The family lived in Liverpool, then moved to a "gothic folly" in a village outside Burnley.[3][4] Guru-Murthy attended the then-private Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn, before studying philosophy, politics and economics at Hertford College, Oxford.[5]

Career

Guru-Murthy's career began in 1988 with the BBC's DEF II discussion programme Open to Question and the youth current-affairs programme Reportage. While at Oxford University he presented BBC2's Asian current-affairs programmes East and Network East. He presented and reported for children's news programme Newsround from 1991 to 1994. He worked as a producer and reporter for Newsnight for three years, and was one of the launch presenters for BBC News 24 in 1997.

Channel 4

Guru-Murthy joined Channel 4 News in 1998 and is the programme's second-longest-serving presenter, behind Jon Snow. He was also the main presenter of Channel 4 News at Noon between 2003 and 2009. The Royal Television Society Journalism Awards nominated him for its News Presenter of the Year award in 2010 and 2014.

He has hosted Channel 4's coverage of ceremonies at the 2012 Paralympics,[6] 2014 Winter Paralympics and the reburial of Richard III.[7] He presented The TV Show and The Operation: Surgery Live. He has hosted The Event – How Racist are You?, The Autopsy, The Exorcism, the quiz show Number One and two series of Going Cold Turkey.

Guru-Murthy moderated Ask the Chancellors, the first debate between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his counterparts in the 2010 General Election. He also hosted How to save £100 Billion – Live the night before the new government's Emergency Budget.

Guru-Murthy became Channel 4's ambassador for its foreign affairs programme Unreported World in 2011 and has made documentaries in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Iraq, South Africa, and Yemen.[8]

On 19 October 2022, Guru-Murthy was suspended for a week by Channel 4 after calling Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker a "cunt" in an off-air remark.[9] Guru-Murthy later apologised "unreservedly" to Baker. Channel 4 said it has a strict code of conduct for employees and "takes any breaches seriously".[10]

Notable interviews

Guru-Murthy, (right) at the Web Summit 2018, in Lisbon, Portugal

Guru-Murthy's February 2010 interview with Jim Devine became key evidence when the former Labour MP was prosecuted for expenses fraud. The politician was sentenced to sixteen months in jail.[11]

In January 2013, Quentin Tarantino refused to answer Guru-Murthy's question if there was a link between film violence and real-life violence. The film director's responses included: "I'm not doing this, I'm not taking the bait"; "I refuse your question. I'm not your slave and you're not my master. You can't make me dance to your tune. I'm not a monkey"; "It's none of your damn business what I think about that!" and "I'm shutting your butt down."[12]

Guru-Murthy described his October 2014 interview with Richard Ayoade as "the perfect joke interview".[13] Ayoade's increasingly blunt responses had reduced Guru-Murthy's colleague Jon Snow to fits of laughter off-screen.[14]

In April 2015, whilst promoting the film Avengers: Age of Ultron, Robert Downey Jr. walked out of an interview with Guru-Murthy after the journalist asked about the actor's relationship with his father, drug use, and alcoholism. The interview has been watched several million times on YouTube.[15] Guru-Murthy said the question areas had been discussed in advance with Downey's public relations agent.[16]

Other news media

Guru-Murthy presented a weekly radio programme on LBC 97.3 between 2003 and 2005; hosted UK Leaders Live, interviewing the three main political party leaders in the UK's 2005 election; and presented the series Hindu Lives on BBC Radio 4 in 2005. He used to write a column in the Metro newspaper and the Asian newspaper Eastern Eye.

Other film and television

Guru-Murthy has appeared in a comic documentary about the band Gorillaz,[17] as a guest on The News Quiz and Taskmaster, and in cameo appearances for Bremner, Bird and Fortune, Shaun of the Dead and Dead Set.[18]

In August 2023, Guru-Murthy was announced to be a contestant on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing.[19]

Volunteer work

Guru-Murthy is a trustee of Duchenne UK. He founded the Duchenne Dash, a 24-hour cycle ride from London to Paris, in 2013.[20] He was also appointed to the board of trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2018, and was reappointed for the role in 2021.[21][22]

Personal life

Guru-Murthy is married and has two children.[23] His sister is BBC News journalist Geeta Guru-Murthy.[24] His brother Ravi Guru-Murthy was formerly Chief Innovation Officer of the International Rescue Committee and is currently Chief Executive of Nesta.[25][26][27]

Guru-Murthy suffers from Crohn's disease and a genetic heart condition.[28][29] He has played in a rock band with Peter Barron and the chief creative officer of Endemol UK.[30] He is a supporter of Liverpool F.C.

References

  1. ↑ "Channel 4 profile". Archived from the original on 26 March 2007.
  2. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy". The Observer. 14 January 2007. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fame & Fortune: TV newsman reports to his mother". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. 5 January 2003. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  4. ↑ Greenstreet, Rosanna (7 July 2001). "My childhood home: Krishnan Guru-Murthy". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Krishnan Guru-Murthy". The Independent. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  6. ↑ Tom Sutcliffe (30 August 2012). "First Night: Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Olympic Stadium - Paralympics - Olympics". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Week of exclusive live programming for burial of King Richard III - Channel 4 - Info - Press". Channel 4. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Unreported World - Episode Guide". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy taken off air for swearing about Steve Baker". The Guardian. 20 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy suspended for insulting minister". BBC News. 20 October 2022. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "When Jim Devine admitted 'moving money around'". Channel 4. 10 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Nancy Tartaglione (11 January 2013). "Quentin Tarantino Has Heated Exchange With UK Journalist On Film Violence, Says "I'm Not Your Slave": Video". Deadline. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  13. ↑ Ayoade: 'Interviewing famous people on their latest project is like commuting for me too' Archived 2 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Independent, 24 October 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Richard Ayoade: 'Interviewing famous people on". The Independent. 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "Robert Downey Jr full interview: star walks out when asked about past". YouTube. Channel 4 News. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  16. ↑ Guru-Murthy, Krishnan (26 April 2015). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy: do stars and news need to go their separate ways?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "Gorillaz: Charts of Darkness (2001)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  18. ↑ Simon Pegg. "Simon Pegg on why the undead should never be allowed to run | Film". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  19. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy is the fourth celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2023". BBC Media Centre. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Duchenne Dash • Trustees". Duchenne UK. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "New appointments to the Board of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". GOV.UK. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy reappointed to the board of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". GOV.UK. 29 September 2021. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Krishnan Guru-Murthy: Presenter". Channel 4 News. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  24. ↑ Mendick, Robert (11 April 2012). "'Go on, teach the f***er a lesson'". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023. Mr Collins's wife is Geeta Guru-Murthy, who presents news bulletins on BBC World, BBC News 24 and on Radio 4, and is the sister of Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the Channel 4 newsreader.
  25. ↑ "Ravi Gurumurthy". nesta. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  26. ↑ "IRC Staff Leadership | International Rescue Committee (IRC)". Rescue.org. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  27. ↑ "Ravi Gurumurthy". Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  28. ↑ Gamble, Ed; Acaster, James (13 February 2019). "Ep 11: Krishnan Guru-Murthy". Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster (Podcast). Acast. 29 minutes in. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2023. I can't really deal with very hot stuff anymore, because I have Crohn's disease, for which chili is really bad
  29. ↑ Robinson, Aimee (26 July 2022). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy: Journalist's genetic heart condition". Express.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  30. ↑ "Last weekend: Krishnan Guru-Murthy in London". The Guardian. 29 April 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
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