Melvyn Bragg is a British author, broadcaster and television presenter who is known for his work on science, the arts and literature. He is a recipient of the Order of the British Empire and a Fellow of the British Academy.
Bragg was born in Wigton, Cumbria, England in 1939. His father was a postman and his mother was a dressmaker. He attended the local grammar school before studying history at Wadham College, Oxford. After graduating in 1961, he was hired as a research assistant for the BBC in London.
Bragg's first television appearance was on the BBC programme Monitor in 1962. He went on to become a producer for the BBC's current affairs series, This Week, and then became editor of the BBC's Tonight programme in 1965.
In 1972, Bragg was given his own television series, The South Bank Show, which he presented and produced for 36 years. Throughout its run, the show featured interviews with notable figures from the worlds of literature, music, theatre and film.
In addition to his television work, Bragg is an accomplished author. He has written more than 25 books, including biographies and novels. His novel The Soldier’s Return won the Booker Prize in 1993.
Bragg has also been awarded several honorary doctorates and in 1983 was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 1998, he was appointed a life peer and is now known as Lord Bragg of Wigton.
In 2002, Bragg received a special BAFTA award for his contribution to television.
Bragg has been recognised for his long-standing commitment to the arts and in 2012 he was awarded the PEN/Pinter Prize, an award for writers who have demonstrated a “unflinching, unswerving” commitment to the written word.
Today, Bragg continues to write and present television programmes on the arts. He also hosts a weekly radio show on BBC Radio 4, In Our Time, which focuses on the history of ideas.
Melvyn Bragg is an iconic figure in British television and literature. He is a passionate advocate for the arts and a champion of the written word. His work has been instrumental in bringing the arts to a wider public.
