Tim Marshall, one of Britain’s most experienced foreign correspondents and bestselling authors, joins Dermot Murnaghan to discuss how punk rock, politics, and a passion for maps shaped his career. From leaving school at sixteen to reporting from war zones and writing the global phenomenon Prisoners of Geography, Tim reflects on four decades of journalism and geopolitics.

He recalls bluffing his way to Paris as a correspondent who could “barely say bonjour,” and covering seismic events from Bosnia to Baghdad and Kabul. Tim explains why geography still defines power, how the world’s borders shape conflict. He also talks candidly about burnout, the reality of war reporting, and rediscovering his voice through writing.

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From the newsroom of Grampian TV to anchoring News at Ten and launching BBC Breakfast Time, Selina Scott’s career is packed with moments that changed the face of broadcasting. She recalls the leap from regional reporting to national television, the pressure of covering the Falklands War live, and the intensity of fronting breakfast TV under constant tabloid scrutiny.

She talks about joining ITN to read the News at Ten, her move to the BBC, and breaking into American television with CBS while still presenting The Clothes Show. Along the way, there are unforgettable behind-the-scenes stories — including an extraordinary dinner with the future King Charles on a remote Scottish island.

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Kirsty Young is one of the most distinctive voices in British broadcasting. From reading continuity announcements on BBC Radio Scotland to hosting Desert Island Discs, Kirsty recalls breaking TV news tradition by standing up behind the newsdesk, interviewing Tony Blair on launch night, and anchoring live as 9/11 unfolded — including an on-air interview with her husband in Manhattan.

They explore what it means to find your voice as a journalist, the privilege of covering Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, and the power of music to reveal the truth about people. Kirsty also reflects on how Channel 5 News rehearsals prepared her for launch night, and why the chaos of live breaking news still excites her.

Kirsty also reveals:

• Why she never watches herself back on TV
• How radio remains her first love
• The thrill of “finding her tribe” when she first walked into a newsroom

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He’s survived bombs, interviewed dictators, and come through ten near-death experiences — yet John Simpson has never stopped chasing the story.

In this episode, the BBC’s World Affairs Editor unpacks more than half a century of frontline reporting. From his unlikely break at the BBC in 1966 to revolutions, wars, and encounters with world leaders.

He recalls covering the Northern Ireland Troubles in the early 1970s, the fall of the Shah in 1979, and later wars in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He recalls the chaos of Baghdad as the city fell in 2003, and the unforgettable flight that brought Ayatollah Khomeini back to Iran. Alongside the global events are personal costs — shrapnel wounds, hearing loss, and the toll of constant danger — and his belief that talking through trauma kept him going.

He also reveals:

• Why presenting the news nearly ended his career
• The shock of witnessing Saddam Hussein’s execution
• His enduring affection for Iran, even after being banned

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She reported from the wreckage of Lockerbie, was held at gunpoint in the Balkans, and interviewed a dictator accused of ethnic cleansing.

Carole Walker looks back on three decades as a BBC correspondent — from the horror of war and terrorism to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the political earthquakes that reshaped Britain.

She also reveals:

• The surreal moment a Moscow doctor pulled a bug out of his wall before speaking freely for the first time
• How it felt watching statues of Soviet power hauled down in Moscow’s squares
• What life was really like on Tony Blair’s 1997 battle bus
• The night David Cameron realised he’d lost Brexit — and his job
• Why younger generations turning to TikTok for politics leaves her uneasy

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• The night she realised journalism isn’t about scoops — it’s about holding fragile stories with care
• How being mistaken for a guest at a screen test led to a job as a BBC News presenter
• What it meant to be embedded in Liverpool during the Hillsborough disaster — and why it changed her

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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 back
• The moment she realised journalism wasn’t about scoops, but about standing with the voiceless
• How Richard Whiteley, granny knickers and laughter shaped 20 years of legendary broadcasts
• Why she believes regional news has lost its soul
• The lesson she learned from the Brontës: break rules, challenge power, and don’t wait to be invited
• Why she wants her gravestone to read: “Just one more thing…”

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In this episode, Dermot Murnaghan sits down with journalist, author and broadcaster Gavin Esler for a wide-ranging conversation that spans Northern Ireland, the White House, and a memorable visit to Dolly Parton’s home.

Gavin opens up about his early career during the Troubles, his run-ins with BBC bureaucracy, and the journalism that helped free innocent men wrongly imprisoned after IRA bombings. He reflects on his years in the United States reporting on Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, his time anchoring Newsnight during its heyday, and how both the media landscape and political accountability have changed.

Gavin also reveals:

• What it was like to report on Obama’s rise, from Chicago blues clubs
• Why sectarian football chants nearly turned him off the game
• The challenge of holding power to account in an age of "truth decay"

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In this episode, Dermot Murnaghan talks to broadcaster Nick Owen about a career that began in local newspapers and led to national fame—culminating in his role at the heart of breakfast television during the 1980s.

Nick shares how he helped rescue a failing TV-am, the unexpected promotion that made him front-page news, and what he learned working alongside Anne Diamond.

He also speaks openly about his prostate cancer diagnosis, the surgery that followed, and why he’s now backing calls for a national screening programme.

Nick also reveals:

• Why he nearly turned down TV-am—until a hotel TV in Sydney changed his mind
• How Greg Dyke and Anne Diamond helped turn the show around
• Why he's urging men to get tested and pushing for a national campaign

A story of a life in news and sport—and a fight to help save men’s lives.

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In this episode, Dermot Murnaghan is joined by broadcasting legend Anne Diamond OBE, for a journey through journalism, personal loss, and untold wartime history.

From turning around TV-am to uncovering her father’s secret role in inventing radar, Anne reflects on a career built on curiosity, compassion, and determination.

She opens up about the behind-the-scenes battles at TV-am, being tabloid fodder in the '80s, and how tragedy spurred her to launch a public health campaign that saved tens of thousands of babies' lives.

Anne also reveals:

• Why Dennis Healey stormed off live TV after challenging her on air
• What it took to cover the fall of the Berlin Wall as chaos unfolded around her
• How she coped with grief and turned it into a national campaign

A broadcaster who defined morning television — and turned personal experience into lasting change for families nationwide.

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