Award honouring late broadcaster Bill Turnbull launched for medical students at Cambridge University

Credit: PA
A travel scholarship of £1,000 is also being established at the college in recognition of his love of the United States. Credit: PA

The late broadcaster Bill Turnbull has been honoured with an annual prize in his name for medical students.

The former BBC Breakfast presenter died at his home in Suffolk in August 2022 at the age of 66 after a battle with prostate cancer, and was laid to rest in the county at a service attended by many of his former colleagues.

The award will go to students at Selwyn College at Cambridge University, many of whom did their training at Ipswich hospital - one of the places he received cancer treatment.

The veteran broadcaster was a former BBC colleague of Roger Mosey, who is now Master the college.

Turnbull attended a number of events there over the years, giving talks about the media and his career.

The Bill Turnbull Prize for Clinical Medicine will be given to a Selwyn student in the fourth to sixth years of their medical degree.

It is backed by an “initial five-figure donation” from private donors, in Turnbull’s name.

Bill Turnbull was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2017. Credit: PA

A travel scholarship is also being established at the college in recognition of Turnbull’s love of the United States, where he served as a BBC correspondent in New York and then Washington.

It will give £1,000 each summer to students wanting to travel to the USA for the benefit of their academic work.

Turnbull’s widow, Sesi Turnbull, said: “Bill would be so honoured to be remembered with this prize and scholarship from Selwyn College.

“Throughout his life he had a strong connection with America, where we lived as a family for some years while he was working as a BBC correspondent.

“It is wonderful to know that others will get the opportunity to broaden their studies in places which were so close to Bill’s heart.”

Roger Mosey, master of Selwyn College, said: “Bill became a great friend to Selwyn – visiting here often, and generously giving his time to talk to students about his career and how they might themselves go into journalism.

“I’m delighted that his name will now be permanently associated with a prize and with support for future generations of students.”