95: John Humphrys - Journalist and presenter, BBC Radio 4

He rose from humble but determined roots in Wales to become one of the leading radio journalists of his generation.

In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, John Humphrys opens up about his life, resulting more in an encyclopaedia of World history rather than of media. He tells of his early days in press, where he not only wrote stories, he delivered the newspapers. Spurning a job at the Times – he moved to television where he was to be the first reporter on the scene at the Aberfan disaster in 1966 – an experience which he confesses had a ‘profound effect’ on him.

His early days at the BBC took him to the US and to South Africa at momentous periods in the history of those countries, before returning home to be one of the first TV newsreaders to assemble his own bulletins on the BBC Nine O' Clock News.

Without hesitation, John accepted a role on the Today programme where he was to spend 33 years. He tells here of his approach to interviewing and of the Prime Minister he found most daunting – and opens up about his huge suspicion of authority - and his nervousness.

In his own words, this is the John Humphrys story.

Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

John’s ‘A Day Like Today’ is out now – published by Collins