‘BROADCASTING’ icon Dame Jenni Murray will be ‘missed terribly’ by many following her death at the age of 75.

Dame Jenni was born in Barnsley and attended Barnsley Girls’ High School.

She went onto study French and drama at the University of Hull and began broadcasting in 1973 on local radio in Bristol, before presenting BBC TV’s South Today between 19878 and 1983.

She worked on BBC Two’s Newsnight and Radio 4’s Today programme before taking over from Sue MacGregor on Woman’s Hour for which she is most known.

She spent over three decades on the show and interviewed characters such as Hilary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher and Bette Davis.

In 2011, she received a damehood in recognition of her contribution to broadcasting, and also won two Sony Awards and was made a member of the Radio Academy Hall of Fame during her career.

She died on March 12.

BBC director general Tim Davie said: “Dame Jenni was, simply put, a broadcasting icon.

“Throughout her three groundbreaking decades on Woman’s Hour, Jenni created a safe space for her audience thanks to her warmth, intelligence and courage.

“We shall all miss her terribly.

“Her legacy endures in the countless conversations she started, the many issues she championed and the lives she touched.”

Mohit Bakaya, director of BBC Speech Audio, added: “Jenni Murray was a formidable voice in British broadcasting who was warm, fearless and beloved by listeners.

“During her decades at Woman’s Hour, she helped shape the national conversation with intelligence, rigour and a remarkable ability to connect with audiences.

“Jenni leaves an indelible legacy on generations of listeners.

“We are profoundly grateful for her outstanding contribution to Radio 4, and she will be deeply missed.”