Martha Kearney
Martha Kearney is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, best known for her six-year tenure presenting BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. In 2024 Martha stepped down from Today to take up two new regular roles at Radio 4, fronting her own interview series This Natural Life, and joining the presenting team on Open Country.
In a career that spans almost 4 decades, Martha has presented several of the UKs longest-running political and current-affairs programmes. As well Today this includes BBC2’s Newsnight, nearly a decade at BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and eleven years hosting R4’s The World at One.
Beyond the newsroom, Martha has fronted documentaries about history, literature, nature, and art. Having kept her own bees, Martha's passion for apiary has led to her fronting BBC Four’s Who Killed the Honey Bee and The Wonder of Bees with Martha Kearney and BBC Two’s Hive Alive.
Martha has won the Sony Radio Bronze Award and has been nominated for a BAFTA for her coverage of the Northern Ireland peace process.
Radio
| The Today Programme Presenter | The Today Programme - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 2018 — 2024 |
| Open Country Presenter | Open Country - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 2023 — 2024 |
| How to Spend £800 Billion Presenter | How to Spend £800 Billion - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 2018 |
| The Shakespeare Sessions: My Own Shakespeare Presenter | The Shakespeare Sessions: My Own Shakespeare - Presenter | BBC Radio 3 | 2018 |
| The World at One Presenter | The World at One - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 2007 — 2018 |
| Woman's Hour Presenter | Woman's Hour - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 1998 — 2006 |
| Children of the Enemy Presenter | Children of the Enemy - Presenter | BBC Radio 4 | 2001 |
Television
| Great Irish Journeys Presenter | Great Irish Journeys - Presenter | BBC Four | 2017 |
| MAKE! Craft Britain Presenter | MAKE! Craft Britain - Presenter | BBC Four | 2017 |
| Being the Brontes Presenter | Being the Brontes - Presenter | BBC Two | 2016 |
| The Great Butterfly Adventure Presenter | The Great Butterfly Adventure - Presenter | BBC Four | 2016 |
| The Books that Made Britain Presenter | The Books that Made Britain - Presenter | BBC One | 2016 |
| The Secret World of Lewis Carroll Presenter | The Secret World of Lewis Carroll - Presenter | BBC Two | 2015 |
| The Review Show Presenter | The Review Show - Presenter | BBC Four | 2006 — 2014 |
| The Wonder of Bees Presenter | The Wonder of Bees - Presenter | BBC Four | 2014 |
| Hive Alive Presenter | Hive Alive - Presenter | BBC Two | 2014 |
| The Proms Presenter | The Proms - Presenter | BBC One | 2009 |
| Who Killed the Honey Bee? Presenter | Who Killed the Honey Bee? - Presenter | BBC Four | 2009 |
| Darcey Bussell's Farewell: Live Presenter | Darcey Bussell's Farewell: Live - Presenter | BBC Two | 2007 |
| Newsnight Presenter | Newsnight - Presenter | BBC Two | 2001 — 2003 |
| Despatch Box Presenter | Despatch Box - Presenter | BBC Two | 1998 |
| Panorama Presenter | Panorama - Presenter | BBC One | 1991 — 1993 |
| On the Record Presenter | On the Record - Presenter | BBC One | 1988 — 1991 |
| A Week in Politics Presenter | A Week in Politics - Presenter | Channel 4 | 1988 |
Radio Guest Credits
| UK Confidential Guest | UK Confidential - Guest | BBC Radio 4 | 2005 — 2017 |
Television Guest Credits
| The Great Comic Relief Bake Off Guest | The Great Comic Relief Bake Off - Guest | BBC One | 2013 |
| It's Only a Theory Guest | It's Only a Theory - Guest | BBC Four | 2009 |
Books
News
Podcasts
 David Hare and Martha Kearney on deviant psychology and fancy dress.  | |
 Today's Martha Kearney speaks to Sir Michael and director Oliver Parker. | |
 Martha Kearney gets up close to Bass Rock, one of the world's largest gannet colonies. | |