Martha Kearney to interview Cate Blanchett as first guest in her new series This Natural Life, as she presents her last Today programme on Radio 4

Martha Kearney to interview Cate Blanchett as first guest in her new series This Natural Life, as she presents her last Today programme on Radio 4

After six years on the helm, this morning Martha Kearney offered her remaining version of At the moment, Radio 4’s flagship morning information programme, alongside Amol Rajan. In the course of the programme, Martha interviewed International Secretary David Lammy, Director of the British Museum Nicholas Cullinan with tributes from colleagues together with James Naughtie and Garry Richardson.

In a highlights reel led by Kirsty Wark celebrating moments from throughout Martha’s wideranging profession, At the moment paid tribute to her talent and tenacity as a reporter on the bottom who’s revered and trusted by listeners. From protecting each election since 1987, together with excessive profile interviews with quite a few prime ministers throughout the a long time, by means of to presenting on local weather change while on location in Antarctica, in addition to sharing her personal passions for culinary delights, beekeeping and braving chilly water swimming.

Martha bid an emotional goodbye to her colleagues, and Radio 4 At the moment listeners and left the studio to a spherical of applause.

Having labored on the BBC since 1988, Martha launches her new Radio 4 interview collection later this yr, This Pure Life, which celebrates her love of the surface world. The upcoming collection from BBC Audio Bristol will have fun nature and the superb energy of the pure world to offer us hope, marvel, solace and awe. In a single-to-one interviews with nature lovers on location, Martha will discover how nature has grow to be an necessary a part of their lives – maybe as a supply of inspiration, a spot to unwind, or simply their ardour.

Her first visitor will probably be actor Cate Blanchett, and different names becoming a member of her throughout the collection embrace chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, broadcaster Hamza Yassin, actor and director Martin Clunes and nature author Richard Mabey, with extra names to come back. In This Pure Life, Martha will share the enjoyment that nature can carry to everybody.

Martha’s personal love of nature could be seen by means of TV programmes she has offered together with The Marvel of Bees and The Nice Butterfly Journey.

Martha Kearney says: “After greater than 4 a long time within the information jungle, I’m escaping to the wild world of nature programmes. I’m vastly excited to be sharing my very own ardour with some fascinating visitors in my new collection This Pure Life. After all I’ll miss being on the coronary heart of breaking tales, our superb manufacturing workforce and all of the listeners who say they get up with me. The 3am alarm name… not a lot.”

Director of Speech and Controller of BBC Radio 4, Mohit Bakaya, says: “Martha is a superb journalist and presenter, who has navigated us by means of necessary information tales over time, and led Radio 4’s protection for vital nationwide occasions, together with the Queen’s funeral and King’s coronation. I’m delighted that she is staying with Radio 4, bringing her appreciable data, ardour and expertise of the pure world to Open Nation and our thrilling new interview present, This Pure Life.”

Editor of At the moment, Owenna Griffiths, says: “It’s been my nice privilege to be Martha’s editor each at The World at One and At the moment. She’s a journalist with nice tenacity, perception and a splendidly broad vary of pursuits. Above all she’s a heat and beneficiant colleague who will probably be missed by me and the workforce.”

This Pure Life is a BBC Audio Bristol manufacturing for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

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Biography

Martha started her radio profession as a cellphone operator at LBC earlier than finally becoming a member of the BBC’s On The Report in 1988.

Earlier than her time on At the moment, Martha Kearney was the primary lady presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One which she fronted for over a decade. This adopted seven years as Newsnight’s political editor. Over time she has interviewed prime ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Rishi Sunak. Outdoors the UK, she has lined a number of US elections and reported from Afghanistan and Israel.

Martha was additionally a daily presenter of Lady’s Hour from 1998 to 2007. For At the moment, she has offered reside from Antarctica and the Arctic on the work of scientists in distant analysis stations.

Martha is the winner of a number of awards, together with TRIC radio presenter of the yr, Political Commentator of the 12 months, a BAFTA nomination for her protection of Northern Eire and Finest Particular person Contribution to Radio awarded by the Voice of The Listener and Viewer.