Colin Murray

Colin Murray
Murray in 2005
Born	(1977-03-10) 10 March 1977 (age 47) Dundonald, Northern Ireland
Occupation(s)	Radio and television presenter
Years active	1999–present
Known for	Presenting on: Countdown (Guest presenter, 2020–21, 2022–) Formerly: Fighting Talk (2006–2013, 2016–2023) EFL on Quest (2018–2022) Talksport (2013–16) Match of the Day 2 (2010–13) 5 Live Sport (2009–2013) Channel 5 football (2006–2010, 2017–18) BBC Radio 1 (1999–2009) BBC BDO World Darts Coverage (2010–16)
Spouse	Carly Paradis (2012–2022)[1]

Colin Murray (born Colin Wright on 10 March 1977) is a radio and television presenter from Northern Ireland. He is best known for hosting the Channel 4 game show Countdown.

Born and raised in Dundonald, east of Belfast, Murray first trained and worked as a news journalist. With a passion for both music and sport, he later moved into music journalism and publishing, before making his national radio debut in 1999 on Radio 1 in a short spell co-hosting The Session music show. This was followed by a television debut in 2002 as one of six co-presenters on Channel 4's short-lived morning show RI:SE. From 2003 onwards Murray established himself as a music radio presenter on the weekday daytime Colin and Edith show, alongside Edith Bowman.

In 2006, Murray began his first role on BBC Radio 5 Live, hosting the sports-themed Saturday morning comedy panel game Fighting Talk, and also began presenting Channel 5's live UEFA Cup football coverage on midweek evenings. In 2006, he moved shows on Radio 1, departing Colin and Edith to front the late-night weekday evening music vehicle The Colin Murray Show. In 2008, he also began presenting The Late Show with Colin Murray, a once-a-week late-night music show for Radio Ulster. The next year, he left Radio 1 to take on additional roles at 5 Live, hosting Kicking off with Colin Murray on Friday nights, and 5 Live Sport on Sunday afternoons. In 2010, he moved from presenting live football on Channel 5 to fronting the BBC's Match of the Day 2 Sunday night highlights show.

In 2007, he was named 'Music Broadcaster of the Year' at the Sony Radio Academy Awards. In 2010, he became host of BBC Television's Match of the Day 2 on BBC Two, while still anchoring shows on BBC Radio 5 Live, including 5 Live Sport and Fighting Talk and was still presenting on BBC Radio Ulster. He has previously hosted regular Channel 5 television and BBC Radio 1 shows.

In 2013, Murray announced he was leaving BBC Radio 5 Live to move to commercial rival Talksport, taking up the 10 am – 1 pm slot vacated by Richard Keys and Andy Gray. Murray announced via Twitter in July 2016 that he was to leave Talksport in September 2016, following the takeover of the station by News Corp. He stated that the concomitant business links between Talksport and The Sun meant that, after the scandal of the Hillsborough disaster and of its coverage by The Sun, his position would be untenable owing to the feelings of Liverpool fans (including himself) towards that newspaper.^[2]

Since August 2017, Murray has hosted the Saturday night EFL television highlights show, first for Channel 5 in the 2017/18 season and since August 2018 for Quest on EFL on Quest.^[3]