Three national journalists have been recognised with special awards from the University of Central Lancashire.
BBC News Channel chief presenter Geeta Guru-Murthy and BBC Radio 5Live and BBC North West Tonight presenter and producer Steve Saul received Honorary Fellowships while Gary Flintoff, England Football Producer for BBC Radio 5Live, was rewarded with an Alumni Achievement Award.
Geeta, who grew up and was schooled in East Lancashire, has anchored some of the most significant events of the past century, including the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Born in Liverpool, she has worked for the BBC for 25 years and this year was appointed as a chief presenter for the BBC News Channel, the most-watched news channel in the UK. She received her award to acknowledge her significant contribution made to broadcast journalism.
She said: “It’s actually incredible, I am really honoured to be here.
“My parents moved to this country from India and we had a really happy childhood playing in the fields with the sheep and the cows in the Lancashire villages and I never thought I’d be back here receiving this sort of honour for the work that I’ve ended up doing – it’s a real privilege.
“I’ve got teenage children who are going through university right now, so I know exactly how important this stage is for students so it’s a real pleasure to be able to come and speak to some of them.”
Award-winning journalist Steve (pictured) started as a volunteer on hospital radio at the age of 13 and his first professional station was Red Rose Radio. He then moved to BBC local radio stations and progressed on to presenting news bulletins on BBC Radio 5 Live. Nowadays, he is a senior presenter, reporter and producer for BBC North West Tonight.
The proud Prestonian, who completed his law for journalists’ qualification at the University, regularly comes back to help journalism students by providing feedback on their news day projects.
Steve was recognised for the significant contribution he has made to regional radio and television broadcasting.
He said: “It’s a real privilege to be given this Honorary Fellowship at the University of Central Lancashire.
“I’m proud of Preston and Lancashire and I’m proud to be able to give something back to the students. I regularly pop in and help out the journalism students on their news days and offer advice and coaching sessions.
“It’s a real honour as someone who never graduated the first time around because I got a job offer to work at the local radio station. So I did drop out of my journalism course but I did come back to do parts of the postgraduate journalism course so it’s nice to complete the journey I started 20 years ago.”
After graduating from the Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism in 1996, Gary began his career on the Fylde coast with Radio Wave before spending three years at Preston-based Red Rose Radio as a news and sport journalist.
He then became head of news and sport at Tower FM in Bolton, before joining the BBC in 2001. Gary, who lives in Chorley, spent three years working for BBC Radio Lancashire before moving on to BBC Radio Merseyside, where he commentated on Liverpool and Everton over a period of seven years.
In 2011, when the BBC moved into Media City in Salford, he was invited to join the 5 Live Sport team. He is now a full-time outside broadcast football producer across matches in the Champions League, the Premier League, and international football.
His career highlights include producing and reporting on England men’s and women’s games on BBC Radio 5 Live at the World Cup and the Euros, as well as producing output from five Grand Nationals, five Cheltenham Gold Cups and two Olympic Games.
As a University of Central Lancashire graduate, Gary’s a proactive supporter of the sports journalism course and he returns every year to coach current students. He’s also supportive of alumni who go on to work at Media City.
He said: “It’s a lovely feeling to be recognised. I have so many great memories of my time here. I still come back pretty much every year since I left to teach, coach and lecture and try to be involved with those who are following a similar path but it’s very touching to be receiving this award.
“I was brought up in Lancashire and was very fortunate that the course I wanted to do was on my doorstep so it’s a really special feeling.”
