Richard Madeley
Areas of Interest
Media, LiteratureHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of Letters, 2011Biography
Richard Madeley is one of Britain's best-loved broadcasters, having risen from local newspapers to be a familiar and cherished presence on TV and radio. An Essex boy born and bred, he is best known as one half of Richard and Judy, the 'King and Queen' of daytime television.
However, it was very nearly a career that failed to take off. Richard's first ambition as a youngster was to be a pilot in the Royal Air Force, but that dream was grounded because of poor eyesight. Instead, Richard followed in his father's footsteps and embarked on a career as a newspaper journalist. His first job was with The Brentwood Argus and he spent time during his apprenticeship studying at Harlow College - which we're now proud to say offers journalism degrees in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.
Richard was clearly a fast learner and at the age of just 19 he joined BBC Radio Carlisle as a news producer and presenter. A natural broadcasting talent, Richard quickly moved on to Border Television and then Yorkshire Television.
After two years presenting reports for Calendar, Yorkshire's regional news programme, Richard crossed the Pennines and headed to Manchester to work for Granada TV, where his future wife Judy Finnigan had been assigned to help him on his first day. A marriage and two children later, Richard and Judy recorded their first episode of This Morning in 1988, live from the Albert Dock in Liverpool. The pair presented the show for 13 years and the skilful blend of interviews, cookery tips and phone-ins not only made Richard a national celebrity but also launched the TV careers of gardener Monty Don, chef Brian Turner and fashion experts Trinny and Susannah.
In 1996, the show relocated to London and the couple's easy presenting style helped them to win the Most Popular Daytime Programme at the National Television Awards for four years running from 1998 to 2001. Whilst the couple continued to present This Morning together, Richard also travelled the world to report on the most dramatic accounts of weather disasters in the popular documentary series, Eye of the Storm.
After 13 years, Richard and Judy bid an emotional farewell to the This Morning sofa in 2001, when they left ITV to present a new show, appropriately named Richard & Judy, on Channel 4. The programme rejuvenated the once unfashionable 5pm slot thanks to a combination of informal features, news items and celebrity interviews. Bill and Hilary Clinton, J K Rowling, Tom Hanks, Tony Blair and Angelica Houston were just a few of Richard and Judy's high-profile guests during the show's seven-year run.
The programme also saw the birth of one of the most influential forces in British literature with the launch, in 2004, of the Richard and Judy Book Club, which brought about a massive change in the nation's reading habits and titles chosen by the Book Club have sold in excess of 10 million copies and have generated over £60 million in book sales.
After 21 years fronting daytime television, Richard and Judy decided to step back from their daily routine, giving them the opportunity to guest star in popular TV comedies such as Little Britain and Extras. Richard has been seen recently on Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway, Have I Got News For You, Newsnight and Question Time, and most recently of all as the subject of BBC One's 'Who Do You Think You Are?'. He can be heard regularly as a presenter on BBC Radio 2, the most listened-to radio station in the UK, in particular presenting 'Madeley on Sunday' show (11am - 1.00pm slot), whenever Terry Wogan is away.
As well as co-running the hugely successful and influential Richard and Judy Book Club with his wife, in partnership with WH Smith, Richard has also become a successful author in his own right, with his first two novels - 'Some Day I'll Find You' and 'The Way You Look Tonight' - both entering the Sunday Times top ten best seller lists. He recently signed a three-book publishing deal with Simon and Schuster.
Citation
"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Richard Madeley for the award of Doctor of Letters.
Richard Madeley is one of Britain's best-loved broadcasters, having risen from local newspapers to be a familiar and cherished presence on TV and radio. An Essex boy born and bred, he is best known as one half of Richard and Judy, the 'King and Queen' of daytime television.
However, it was very nearly a career that failed to take off. Richard's first ambition as a youngster was to be a pilot in the Royal Air Force, but that dream was grounded because of poor eyesight. Instead, Richard followed in his father's footsteps and embarked on a career as a newspaper journalist. His first job was with The Brentwood Argus and he spent time during his apprenticeship studying at Harlow College - which we're now proud to say offers journalism degrees in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.
Richard was clearly a fast learner and at the age of just 19 he joined BBC Radio Carlisle as a news producer and presenter. A natural broadcasting talent, Richard quickly moved on to Border Television and then Yorkshire Television.
After two years presenting reports for Calendar, Yorkshire's regional news programme, Richard crossed the Pennines and headed to Manchester to work for Granada TV, where his future wife Judy Finnigan had been assigned to help him on his first day. A marriage and two children later, Richard and Judy recorded their first episode of This Morning in 1988, live from the Albert Dock in Liverpool. The pair presented the show for 13 years and the skilful blend of interviews, cookery tips and phone-ins not only made Richard a national celebrity but also launched the TV careers of gardener Monty Don, chef Brian Turner and fashion experts Trinny and Susannah.
In 1996, the show relocated to London and the couple's easy presenting style helped them to win the Most Popular Daytime Programme at the National Television Awards for four years running from 1998 to 2001. Whilst the couple continued to present This Morning together, Richard also travelled the world to report on the most dramatic accounts of weather disasters in the popular documentary series, Eye of the Storm.
After 13 years, Richard and Judy bid an emotional farewell to the This Morning sofa in 2001, when they left ITV to present a new show, appropriately named Richard & Judy, on Channel 4. The programme rejuvenated the once unfashionable 5pm slot thanks to a combination of informal features, news items and celebrity interviews. Bill and Hilary Clinton, J K Rowling, Tom Hanks, Tony Blair and Angelica Houston were just a few of Richard and Judy's high-profile guests during the show?s seven-year run.
The programme also saw the birth of one of the most influential forces in British literature with the launch, in 2004, of the Richard and Judy Book Club, which brought about a massive change in the nation's reading habits and titles chosen by the Book Club have sold in excess of 10 million copies and have generated over £60 million in book sales. Receiving the Richard and Judy endorsement has been known to increase sales by as much as 3,000 per cent overnight, and has turned at least eight authors into multi-millionaires.
After 21 years fronting daytime television, Richard and Judy decided to step back from their daily routine, giving them the opportunity to guest star in popular TV comedies such as Little Britain and Extras. Richard has been seen recently on Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway, Have I Got News For You, Newsnight and Question Time, and most recently of all as the subject of BBC One's 'Who Do You Think You Are'. He can be heard regularly as a presenter on BBC Radio 2, the most listened-to radio station in the UK, in particular presenting 'The Breakfast Show' whenever Chris Evans is away.
While the Richard and Judy Book Club continues to be a success, Richard has become a successful author in his own right and is currently working on a new book. Richard's first, Fathers and Sons, was a triumph, with the Times Literary Supplement commenting that Richard is ''as skilled in the written medium as he is on air''.
As you can see, Richard is a true all-rounder and a unique personality, who is loved by millions for his warmth, insight and enthusiasm. Anglia Ruskin University is proud to honour him today for his magnificent, and continuing, contribution to television, reading, entertainment and media.
Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Richard Madeley for the award of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa."