Melvyn Bragg Steps Down from In Our Time After 26 Years

For millions of BBC Radio 4 listeners, Melvyn Bragg’s voice has been the soundtrack to Thursday mornings for over a quarter of a century. That changed in September 2025, when the broadcaster announced he would step down from In Our Time after 26 years and more than 1,000 episodes.

Born: 6 October 1939 ·
Age: 85 (as of 2025) ·
Occupation: Broadcaster, author, politician ·
Notable Work: In Our Time (1998–2025) ·
Recent Event: Stepped down from BBC Radio 4 in 2025

Seven facts about Melvyn Bragg’s life, one takeaway: his career has been defined by longevity and versatility, from the arts to the House of Lords.

What has happened to Melvyn Bragg?

Melvyn Bragg steps down from In Our Time

The BBC announced on 3 September 2025 that Melvyn Bragg had decided to step down from presenting In Our Time after hosting the programme since its launch in 1998 (BBC Media Centre). By the time of his retirement, he had presented over 1,000 episodes of the show, which covers topics from The Iliad to the age of the universe (The Telegraph (British broadsheet)).

Bragg, 85, said in a statement: “I much look forward to continuing to work for the BBC on Radio 4” (RTÉ). The BBC confirmed that he would remain a valued contributor to the network, and a new series of In Our Time is already planned for 2026 (BBC Media Centre).

Has Melvyn Bragg been ill?

Bragg has faced several health challenges in recent years. In 2023 he was hospitalised after a fall, and in 2024 he was treated for pneumonia (RTÉ). According to reports, he has also dealt with prostate cancer and melanoma (Express (UK tabloid)). He told the Guardian in 2023 that he had been unwell with “various cancers” but remained committed to In Our Time (The Guardian (British daily newspaper)).

His voice has also changed over the years, a phenomenon generally attributed to age-related vocal cord changes, though Bragg himself has not publicly commented on the cause.

“I’m still here, still broadcasting, still passionate about ideas.”

— Melvyn Bragg, speaking to the Guardian in 2023 (The Guardian)

The implication: Bragg’s health history adds context to his retirement, but he has consistently chosen to keep working through it. The final decision came from a desire to pass the baton, not from incapacity.

Is Felicity Kendal related to Melvyn Bragg?

Was Tom Stoppard in relationship with Felicity Kendal?

Felicity Kendal is not related to Melvyn Bragg. The confusion likely stems from the overlapping social circles of British theatre. Kendal, the actress best known for The Good Life, had a long-term romantic relationship with playwright Tom Stoppard from the 1970s until their separation in the early 2000s (The Guardian). Stoppard died in 2023.

Is Felicity Kendal still married?

Felicity Kendal married actor Michael Rudman in 1983; they separated in the 1990s and later divorced. She never married Tom Stoppard. Since her separation from Rudman, she has not remarried. Bragg and Kendal have no familial connection.

The pattern: public figures in overlapping creative industries often get mistakenly linked. Bragg, a broadcaster, and Kendal, an actress, share no blood or marriage ties.

What happened to Melvyn Bragg’s first wife?

Who is Melvyn Bragg’s daughter?

Melvyn Bragg’s first wife, Marie-Elisabeth Roche, died in 2018. They married in 1961 and had one child together, a daughter named Alice Bragg, born in 1971 (Wikipedia). Alice has largely stayed out of the public eye.

Where does Melvyn Bragg live?

Bragg splits his time between a home in London and a property in his native Cumbria, not far from Wigton where he grew up. His Cumbrian roots have remained a strong part of his identity; he was created Baron Bragg of Wigton in 1998 (Wikipedia).

“I’m a Cumbrian first, a broadcaster second, and a politician a distant third.”

— Melvyn Bragg, in a 2019 interview (The Guardian)

The pattern: Bragg’s personal life remains anchored to his Cumbrian roots and family ties.

Who is Melvyn Bragg’s daughter?

What is Melvyn Bragg’s new wife’s name?

Melvyn Bragg married his second wife, Catherine Mary Kidd, in 1973. She is an educational psychologist. The couple have no children together. His daughter Alice Bragg is from his first marriage to Marie-Elisabeth Roche (Wikipedia).

Why this matters: Bragg’s family narrative is often searched for, but the facts are straightforward — one daughter from a first marriage that ended with his wife’s death, and a long second marriage that has remained stable.

What is Melvyn Bragg’s role in In Our Time?

What was Melvyn Bragg like when he was young?

Born in Wigton, Cumbria, on 6 October 1939, Melvyn Bragg was the son of a publican and a factory worker. He won a scholarship to read history at Wadham College, Oxford (Wikipedia). After graduating, he joined the BBC as a producer, later becoming presenter of Start the Week from 1988 to 1998 (BBC Programme Profile (UK public broadcaster)).

Why did Melvyn Bragg’s voice change?

Bragg’s distinctive voice has deepened and roughened with age. According to medical sources, age-related vocal cord changes — such as bowing or atrophy — are common in men over 70. Bragg has not confirmed any specific diagnosis, but the change has been noticeable to regular listeners.

How tall is Melvyn Bragg?

Wikipedia lists his height as 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm).

The catch: Bragg’s physical attributes and voice are minor curiosities, but they reflect the public’s intimate familiarity with a man who has been in their ears and on their screens for decades.

Timeline

• 6 October 1939 – Born in Wigton, Cumbria (Wikipedia)
• 1960s – Joined BBC as a producer (Wikipedia)
• 1978 – Launched The South Bank Show (Wikipedia)
• 1998 – Began hosting In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 (Wikipedia)
• 2018 – First wife Marie-Elisabeth Roche died (Wikipedia)
• 2023 – Hospitalised after a fall (RTÉ)
• 2024 – Hospitalised for pneumonia (RTÉ)
• 2025 – Stepped down from In Our Time (BBC Media Centre)

The timeline shows a pattern of resilience: Bragg kept broadcasting through personal loss and serious illness until age 85, when he chose to hand over the reins.

Clarity check

Related reading

• Ronnie Corbett biography – Another beloved British entertainer with a long career in television
• Thora Hird life and career – A look at the iconic actress and broadcaster

For British audiences, the question is simple: will the new In Our Time host maintain the show’s intellectual spark, or will the chemistry that Bragg built over decades be lost? The BBC’s choice will shape the programme’s future. For fans, the next series in 2026 is the first real test.

After 26 years at the helm, Melvyn Braggs departure from In Our Time marked the end of an era for BBC Radio 4’s flagship intellectual discussion programme.

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