Jenni Murray died after car crash injuries, inquest rules

Broadcaster Jenni Murray died on March 12, 2026, eight days after a car crash on Wildwood Road. An inquest heard on Thursday that the 75-year-old was dazzled by oncoming headlights before colliding with two stationary vehicles. The north London coroner, Tony Murphy, ruled that her cause of death was bronchopneumonia, which developed from rib and sternum fractures sustained in the collision.

Murray, best known as the long-serving voice of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, was admitted to the Royal Free hospital on March 4, 2026. A statement read at the inquest by Dr Clare Morkane, a consultant at the hospital, said Murray had been driving when she became dazzled by vehicle lights. Following the collision, she was conveyed to hospital. The crash caused multiple rib fractures, a fractured upper sternum, and a collapsed lung.

While at the Royal Free hospital, Murray was placed on non-invasive ventilation and moved to intensive care. She developed bronchopneumonia. Dr Morkane stated that her condition significantly deteriorated on March 10, leading to a decision to focus on palliative care. Murray died peacefully on March 12, 2026, at approximately 3:45pm. The Metropolitan police investigated the incident but have since closed their inquiry.

The collision took place on Wildwood Road, near Hampstead Heath, shortly before 8pm. Murray, who hosted Woman’s Hour for three decades, was made a dame in 2011 for her contributions to broadcasting. She had also been a vocal advocate for breast cancer awareness, having announced her own diagnosis on Woman’s Hour in 2006 and serving as a vice-patron for Breast Cancer Now for nearly 20 years.