Talk Show Host
Kate Turkington started her broadcasting career with the BBC in Northern Ireland at the BBC World Service. She subsequently hosted two live BBC TV shows – Late with Kate – a current affairs talkshow, where she interviewed politicians, a prime minister or two, and newsmakers. This was followed by a prime time Saturday night BBC TV live talkshow – Kate at 8 – where guests included the best of the 60s celebs – The Beatles, Mary Quant, Harry Worth, Freddie and the Dreamers, Anthony Hopkins, Clement Freud – to name but a few – and lots of comedians, singers and groups, and once a talking dog.
While lecturing in the English Department and heading up the Television Department at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, she regularly freelanced on SABC TV, memorably Prime Time in the 80s, and numerous educational series like Crossroads, which she wrote, directed and often presented.
Kate Turkington’s Believe It Or Not (7-10pm), a very popular 702/Cape Talk live three-hour Sunday night talkshow, offers a non-denominational but multi-dimensional approach to philosophical, moral and religious topics and issues drawn from our daily lives. The programme, South Africa’s longest-running live radio talkshow with the original host in the same time slot, has been running for over 18 years.
With her extensive travel and intercultural experience, Kate comments on and facilitates lively discussions surrounding values, beliefs and ethics. Guests have included Richard Dawkins, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Deepak Chopra, Stephen Jay Gould, Karen Armstrong, Goldie Hawn, Professor Desmond Morris, Professor Philip Tobias, rabbis, priests, imams, swamis, new age gurus, philosophers, radical and conservative thinkers, saints, sinners, prophets, seers, psychics, spiritual conmen (and women) and hundreds of authors.
The show is subtitled “The Way You Choose to Live Your Life” and 702 Talk Radio station manager, Pheladi Gwangwa, says the success of the show (which has a wide local and international following) lies in its wide listener appeal. “The show never dictates to listeners, it never judges and never separates right from wrong, but rather provides information on how better to understand people and their beliefs.”
RECENTLY…
PRAISE POEM BY PROFESSOR CHRIS MANN RECITED ON RADIO 702 TO CELEBRATE THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF KATE TURKINGTON’S SUNDAY NIGHT PROGRAMME
MaVulendlela wase-Radio 702
Madame Pioneer of Radio 702
Halala Mavulindlela!
Congratulations Madame Pioneer!
Wena ovul’izindlela eziningi kanye nemiboniso ehlukene ehlatini elifinyene yempilo eMzanz-Afrika wanamhlanje,
You who open many pathways and view-sites in the thick bush that is South Africa today,
Halala wena Maxhumanisi!
Congratulations Madame Connector!
Wena oxhumanis’ abantu abahlukene emsakazweni ngokuxhuxhuxhu,
You who with restless talkative energy bring different people together,
Wena ongumhloli onenqondo egobhuza njalo ngobuxhuxhuma
You who are a leader whose mind flows with restless vivacity.
Ungamis’umsebenzi wakho!
Don’t stop your work!
Qhubeka MaKate kuze kufike ukuxhumana okugcwele nokulunga okujulile kulelizwe lakithi
Keep going Madame Kate until full unity and deep justice is found in our land.