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Krishnan Guru-Murthy

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Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Guru-Murthy at Chatham House in 2013
Born (1970-04-05) 5 April 1970 (age 54)
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. As of 2007, he was the main anchor of Channel 4 News at noon, and fronted regularly for that channel's evening news.[1][needs update] He also presents Unreported World, a foreign-affairs documentary series.[citation needed]

Early life and education

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Guru-Murthy's father, a consultant radiologist, worked in Blackburn and Burnley, the family living in Liverpool, then moving to a "gothic folly" in a village outside Burnley.[2][3] Guru-Murthy attended the then-private Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn, before studying philosophy, politics and economics at Hertford College, Oxford (a pre-university gap year change of direction, from an earlier intention to study medicine).[4][2] In that gap year, Guru-Murthy began his work in broadcasting with an appearance on the BBC2 youth discussion programme, Open to Question which led to his being invited to present.[1] Then, while at Oxford, he presented that channel's Asia-focused current-affairs programmes, East and Network East.[citation needed]

Career

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BBC

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Guru-Murthy's post-university professional career began in 1988,[1][better source needed] initially with the BBC's DEF II discussion programme Open to Question, and the youth current-affairs programme Reportage.[citation needed] He also presented and reported for their children's news programme Newsround from 1991 to 1994.[citation needed] and was one of the launch presenters for BBC News 24 in 1997.[citation needed] For three years,[when?][citation needed] Guru-Murthy worked as a producer and reporter for that broadcaster's Newsnight.[1]

Channel 4

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After a decade with the BBC, Guru-Murthy joined Channel 4 News (in 1998),[1] and as of this date,[when?] was the programme's second-longest-serving presenter (behind Jon Snow).[citation needed] He was also the main presenter of Channel 4 News at Noon between 2003 and 2009.[citation needed] Guru-Murthy moderated Ask the Chancellors, the first debate between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his counterparts in the 2010 General Election.[citation needed] He also hosted How to save £100 Billion – Live the night before the new government's Emergency Budget.[clarification needed][citation needed]

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.[5] He has hosted Channel 4's coverage of ceremonies at the 2012 Paralympics,[6] 2014 Winter Paralympics and the 2015 reburial of Richard III.[7]

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.[8] Guru-Murthy later apologised "unreservedly" to Baker. Channel 4 said it has a strict code of conduct for employees and "takes any breaches seriously".[9]

Guru-Murthy also fronted for various Channel 4 programmes, including Think TV,[1][when?] The Channel 4 Political Awards,[1][when?] The TV Show,[when?][citation needed] and The Operation: Surgery Live.[when?][citation needed] In addition, he hosted The Event—How Racist are You?,[when?][citation needed] The Autopsy,[1][when?] The Exorcism,[when?][citation needed] the quiz show Number One,[when?][citation needed] and two series of Going Cold Turkey.[when?][citation needed]

Notable interviews

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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.[10]

In January 2013, Quentin Tarantino refused to answer Guru-Murthy's question regarding a link between film violence and real-life violence; as described by Nancy Tartaglione of Deadline.com, Tarantino responded to the opening, saying

“Don’t ask me a question like that—I’m not biting.” When asked why, he [said], “Because 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.” Saying he was doing the interview as “a commercial for the movie,” Tarantino elaborate[d], “I don’t want to talk about the implications of violence… The reason I don’t want to talk about it: cause I’ve said everything I have to say about it. If anyone cares what I have to say about it, they can Google me and they can look for 20 years what I have to say. But I haven’t changed my opinion one iota.” [When] Guru-Murthy later presses, “But you haven’t said why you think there’s no relationship”… Tarantino exclaims, “It’s none of your damn business what I think about that!… And I’m shutting you down.”[11][12]

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

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.[14] Guru-Murthy said the question areas had been discussed in advance with Downey's public relations agent and Downey was in the wrong since Channel 4 does not do "promotional interviews".[15]

Other news media

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Guru-Murthy presented a weekly radio programme on LBC 97.3 between 2003 and 2005.[citation needed] He also hosted UK Leaders Live, interviewing the three main political party leaders in the UK's 2005 election.[citation needed] He returned tot he BBC to present the series Hindu Lives on BBC Radio 4 in 2005.[citation needed]

Guru-Murthy ahs also worked in print journalism, having contributed a column in the Metro newspaper,[when?] and to the Asian newspaper Eastern Eye.[when?][citation needed]

Other film and television

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Guru-Murthy had a cameo appearances in Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1997),[citation needed], and appeared in a 2001 comic documentary about the band Gorillaz.[citation needed]

He appearanced in Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1997),[citation needed] and further cameos as himself in the zombie-genre works Shaun of the Dead (2004), and Dead Set (2008).[16]

In August 2023, Guru-Murthy was announced as a contestant on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing.[17] He was paired with professional dancer Lauren Oakley; they were the seventh couple to be eliminated.[18]

Guru-Murthy presented the short-lived Channel 4 game show Number One.[when?][19][full citation needed] and appeared as a guest on The News Quiz,[when?][citation needed] Taskmaster,[when?][citation needed] and Gordon Ramsay's The F Word TV show with his brother and mother as contestants.[when?][citation needed]

Awards and recognition

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The Royal Television Society Journalism Awards nominated him for its News Presenter of the Year award in 2010, and again in 2014.[citation needed]

Charitable endeavours

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Guru-Murthy is a trustee of Duchenne UK, and founded the Duchenne Dash, a fund-raising 24-hour cycle ride from London to Paris, in 2013.[20] He was also appointed to a 3-year term on the board of trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2018, and was reappointed in 2021.[21][22]

Personal life

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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]

Guru-Murthy suffers from Crohn's disease and a genetic heart condition.[26][27] He has played in a rock band with Peter Barron and the chief creative officer of Endemol UK.[28] He is a supporter of Liverpool F.C.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Guru-Murthy, Krishnan & Channel 4 Staff (26 March 2007). "Channel 4 profile". Archived from the original on 26 March 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) The same information was reported by The Observer in the title subject's biosketch for their Ethical Awards, see "Krishnan Guru-Murthy". The Observer. 14 January 2007. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b Graham, Natalie; Guru-Murthy, Krishnan (5 January 2003). "Fame & Fortune: TV Newsman Reports to his Mother". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Sale, Jonathan & Guru-Murthy, Krishnan (18 March 2010). "Passed/Failed: An Education in the Life of Krishnan Guru-Murthy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Unreported World—Episode Guide". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  6. ^ Sutcliffe, Tom (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. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. ^ Grierson, Jamie (20 October 2022). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy Taken Off Air for Swearing About Steve Baker". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  9. ^ Youngs, Ian (20 October 2022). "Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy Suspended for Insulting Minister". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  10. ^ Guru-Murthy, Krishnan; Devine, Jim & Channel 4 Staff (10 February 2011). "When Jim Devine Admitted 'Moving Money Around'". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (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.
  12. ^ Note, the "And I’m shutting you down." statement is as it appears in this source, with no other added prose; any alternative quotations must appear with sources to substantiate the reported variation.
  13. ^ Selby, Jenn (24 October 2014). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Richard Ayoade: 'Interviewing Famous People on Their Latest Project is Like Commuting for Me Too'". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  14. ^ Guru-Murthy, Krishnan & Downey Jr, Robert (22 April 2015). Robert Downey Jr Full Interview: Star Walks Out When Asked About Past. Channel 4 News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Pegg, Simon. "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.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "Strictly Announces Seventh Celebrity to be Eliminated from 2023 Series". Digital Spy. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Number One". UKGameShows.com.[full citation needed]
  20. ^ "Duchenne Dash—Trustees". Duchenne UK. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  21. ^ Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (5 July 2018). "New Appointments to the Board of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  22. ^ Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (29 September 2021). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy Reappointed to the Board of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  23. ^ Guru-Murthy, Krishnan & Channel 4 Staff (11 July 2016). "Krishnan Guru-Murthy: Presenter". Channel 4 News. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  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. ^ Gurumurthy, Ravi & Nesta Staff. "Ravi Gurumurthy". nesta. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  26. ^ 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
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ Guru-Murthy, Krishnan (29 April 2006). "Last Weekend: Krishnan Guru-Murthy in London". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
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