Showbiz

Krishnan Guru-Murthy reveals he still feels anger at his consultant father being spat on for being an immigrant as he reflects on the racism he faced growing up

Krishnan Guru-Murthy reveals he still feels anger at his consultant father being spat on for being an immigrant as he reflects on the racism he faced growing up

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has revealed he still gets angry about his consultant father, who helped many hospital patients in Burnley, being spat at in the street for being an immigrant in the town.

Channel 4 news presenter and former Strictly star Krishnan said his family have always had to face up to racism, even though it has become less blatant.

The journalist’s father was a poor orphan who grew up in India but went on to train as a medic before coming to Liverpool in 1962 to progress his career and become a junior doctor.

Krishnan said his dad didn’t own a pair of shoes until he went to medical school and as a result he still feels the need to work at the age of 91.

Krishnan, who was born in 1970 before the family moved to Pendle, Lancs, four years later, said: “My dad went from the kid who didn’t have any shoes and parents and food, to being a consultant in the NHS who gave his kids everything.”

But he told how along the way his parents accepted the family would have to contend with racism, which was worse in the sixties and seventies but he said still exists.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has revealed he still gets angry about his consultant father, who helped many hospital patients in Burnley, being spat at in the street for being an immigrant in the town

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has revealed he still gets angry about his consultant father, who helped many hospital patients in Burnley, being spat at in the street for being an immigrant in the town

Channel 4 news presenter and former Strictly star Krishnan said his family have always had to face up to racism, even though it has become less blatant

Channel 4 news presenter and former Strictly star Krishnan said his family have always had to face up to racism, even though it has become less blatant

He told the Rosebud podcast: ‘Racism had changed in that the Race Relations Act had been pᴀssed, there weren’t the signs any more, but there was still overt racism. We were still called names.

‘We did talk about it at home, but we were brought up with that “you are going to face this and you’re going to have to deal with it”.

‘It was just like “people are going to say these things, it doesn’t matter, here’s what to say back”, or “here’s how to deal with it, or just walk away”.

‘Racism was normal in the playground. They would add in “you black..”, or “you whatever” into whatever insult they were going to give you anyway.

‘But yes it was the 1970s. It was east Lancashire as well – there were high immigrant populations in some of those towns, like Burnley, Nelson, Pendle, where I grew up.

‘There was a certain amount of open racism.

‘I remember walking down the street in Burnley town centre and my dad being spat on, which is something which still makes me very angry when I think back about it.

‘Apart from the obvious reasons, my dad was a consultant in Burnley for decades and probably looked at X-rays and scanned half the population over his period of time there. It was part of life.

The journalist's father [pictured] was a poor orphan who grew up in India but went on to train as a medic before coming to Liverpool in 1962 to progress his career and become a junior doctor

The journalist’s father [pictured] was a poor orphan who grew up in India but went on to train as a medic before coming to Liverpool in 1962 to progress his career and become a junior doctor

'I remember walking down the street in Burnley town centre and my dad being spat on, which is something which still makes me very angry when I think back about it'

‘I remember walking down the street in Burnley town centre and my dad being spat on, which is something which still makes me very angry when I think back about it’

'Racism was normal in the playground. They would add in

‘Racism was normal in the playground. They would add in “you black..”, or “you whatever” into whatever insult they were going to give you anyway’

'I remember talking to my own wife about our kids and saying

‘I remember talking to my own wife about our kids and saying “we’re going to have to talk to them about this and prepare them, because that’s what my parents did” [pictured with wife Lisa in 2016]

Read More Krishnan Guru-Murthy reveals he has fallen in love with showbusiness after Strictly as he teases musical theatre as potential career change article image

‘I remember talking to my own wife about our kids and saying “we’re going to have to talk to them about this and prepare them, because that’s what my parents did”. 

‘And she thought I was bonkers and was going “don’t be silly, that’s not going to happen”.

‘I’m not sure whether it has or not. I think there’s a lot of racism around these days but it’s different. It’s perhaps not as blunt and open.’

The full interview can be heard on the Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth podcast on all major platforms on Friday.

Back in 2023, Krishnan shared a plethora of family snaps featuring his father as he marked his then 90th birthday. 

Back in 2023, Krishnan shared a plethora of family snaps featuring his father as he marked his then 90th birthday

Back in 2023, Krishnan shared a plethora of family snaps featuring his father as he marked his then 90th birthday

Writing a heartfelt message about his parent, he penned: ‘Happy 90th Birthday Dr Krishnan Guru-Murthy! He’s at work today as usual, in the NHS, where he must surely by now be the longest serving Consultant Radiologist on record.

‘He became an NHS doctor when he arrived in the UK in 1962 and was made a consultant in the early 1970s. 

‘Here are a few pH๏τos of Dad – the most recent I have with my Mum recently and the oldest I have when they got married, and a few in between with my brother and sister.

‘We don’t have any from when he was a boy because he was orphaned young and the family lost everything as refugees in the war anyway.’

Related Posts

Teddi Mellencamp’s unusual living arrangement revealed as she ‘prepares for the worst’ amid cancer battle

Teddi Mellencamp’s unusual living arrangement revealed as she ‘prepares for the worst’ amid cancer battle

Teddi Mellencamp and her estranged husband Edwin Arroyave have not only ‘put everything on hold’ with their November divorce filing, they’re happily sharing their $6.5M Encino marital home…

White Lotus star dropped out of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame over pay dispute

White Lotus star dropped out of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame over pay dispute

The White Lotus star Carrie Coon previously dropped out of the Marvel film Avengers: Endgame due to a pay dispute. The Emmy-nominated actress, 44 — who currently stars in…

The ring is off! Single Sydney Sweeney ditches bling after cancelling wedding and fueling Glen Powell romance rumors

The ring is off! Single Sydney Sweeney ditches bling after cancelling wedding and fueling Glen Powell romance rumors

Sydney Sweeney brushed off her breakup woes as she made a stunning appearance at an event in Los Angeles on Wednesday — sans wedding ring. The 27-year-old actress…

Reese Witherspoon’s nepo baby Ava Phillippe channels her iconic role for acting debut

Reese Witherspoon’s nepo baby Ava Phillippe channels her iconic role for acting debut

Reese Witherspoon’s daughter Ava Phillippe is following in her famous mom’s footsteps. The 25-year-old is set to make her acting debut on this week’s episode of ABC series Doctor…

Heidi Klum’s rarely seen daughter Lou, 15, towers over the supermodel during luxury shopping spree
          
          Heidi Klum’s rarely seen 15-year-old daughter Lou joined her on a luxury shopping spree in New York City this week.

Heidi Klum’s rarely seen daughter Lou, 15, towers over the supermodel during luxury shopping spree Heidi Klum’s rarely seen 15-year-old daughter Lou joined her on a luxury shopping spree in New York City this week.

Heidi Klum’s rarely seen 15-year-old daughter Lou joined her on a luxury shopping spree in New York City this week. She is the youngest of Klum’s three children…

Larsa Pippen rebounds with younger ex NBA star while former lover Marcus Jordan faces trial over drug charge

Larsa Pippen rebounds with younger ex NBA star while former lover Marcus Jordan faces trial over drug charge

Larsa Pippen is dating a new man following the tumultuous aftermath of her relationship with ex Marcus Jordan — and he’s a basketball player, just like her ex-husband…