# Murray Deaker > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Murray_Deaker > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Murray_Deaker.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Deaker > Source revision: 1148565548 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Murray James Boyd Deaker** is a New Zealand [sports radio](/source/Sports_radio) and television talk show host and sports author. Deaker was educated at [Dunedin's King's High School](/source/King's_High_School,_Dunedin), the same school in which fellow broadcaster [Peter Montgomery](/source/Peter_Montgomery_(broadcaster)) attended. He graduated from the [University of Otago](/source/University_of_Otago) with an [MA](/source/Master_of_Arts) in history.[1] He worked as a teacher prior to his media career, including at [Auckland Grammar](/source/Auckland_Grammar) (where he successfully coached the First Cricket XI), [Orewa College](/source/Orewa_College) and [Takapuna Grammar School](/source/Takapuna_Grammar_School). As a former rugby player he had represented Otago and played for the New Zealand Teachers Team. Deaker was diagnosed with [bipolar disorder](/source/Bipolar_disorder) in 2003.[2] Deaker has acted as a mentor for sports personalities such as [Jesse Ryder](/source/Jesse_Ryder), a New Zealand cricketer.[3] His radio programmes consistently rated number one.[citation needed] Deaker was known for getting interviews on his radio and television shows with sports people that were famous and/or topical but also gave time to minority sports. He worked with producers such as Greg Billings[4] and his show helped raise the profile of new and rising sports presenters such as [Melodie Robinson](/source/Melodie_Robinson) and the return to the television screen of [Tony Veitch](/source/Tony_Veitch).[5] He conducted a number of high-profile interviews, including the last interview with [Tiger Woods](/source/Tiger_Woods) before his tabloid controversies of 2009.[6] Deaker fell into his own bunker of controversy in 2011,[7] with a racially sensitive slur in reference to a colleague. Despite the NZ Race Relations Commissioner describing the turn of phrase as "Not appropriate" and a weight of public outrage reminiscent of fellow broadcaster [Paul Holmes](/source/Paul_Holmes_(broadcaster))' "Cheeky Darkie" saga and [Paul Henry](/source/Paul_Henry_(broadcaster))'s derogatory comment about an Indian Diplomat with the surname "Dikshit", Deaker's network described the phrase as "widely used". Deaker later apologised, stating "It was a bad choice of words and I apologise unreservedly". In March 2012, Deaker again became enmeshed in another controversy after allegedly offensive remarks about [All Black](/source/All_Black) and [Muslim](/source/Muslim) [Sonny Bill Williams](/source/Sonny_Bill_Williams)[8] At the end of 2013 Deaker, then aged 68 years, announced he would move on from his position at Newstalk ZB and from his Sky TV programme, Deaker on Sport.[9] "Timing is everything in sport and life. I want to get out while I'm still at the top of my game. There are fresh challenges that I am keen to have a crack at," says Deaker. Deaker won the Best Sports Presenter at the Radio Awards seven times and was a finalist on 10 other occasions. In the [2009 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/2009_Birthday_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Deaker was appointed an [Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit](/source/Officer_of_the_New_Zealand_Order_of_Merit), for services to broadcasting.[10] ## References 1. Deaker, Murray (1968). [*Seddon's contribution to imperial relations 1897 to 1902*](https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/8305) (Masters thesis). OUR Archive, University of Otago. [hdl:10523/8305](https://hdl.handle.net/10523/8305) 1. [Listener article on his depression](http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3354/features/2454/please_remain_calm.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060929004359/http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3354/features/2454/please_remain_calm.html) 29 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine 1. ["Timeline: Jesse's risky singles"](http://tvnz.co.nz/cricket-news/timeline-jesse-s-risky-singles-2729877). *[One Sport](/source/One_Sport)*. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 1. ["Remembering New Zealand's great sports radio commentators"](https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/121026315/remembering-new-zealands-great-sports-radio-commentators). 29 May 2020. 1. ["Veitch basks in limelight back on screen"](http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/1753423/Veitch-basks-in-limelight-back-on-screen). 21 February 2009. 1. Ford, Greg (13 December 2009). ["Deaker's TV scoop on Tiger Woods to air early"](http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/3155232/Deakers-TV-scoop-on-Tiger-Woods-to-air-early). *[The Sunday Star-Times](/source/The_Sunday_Star-Times)*. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 1. ["Murray Deaker says sorry for 'nigger' comment"](http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/5101364/Murray-Deaker-says-sorry-for-nigger-comment). 4 June 2011. 1. ["Backlash over Deaker's Sonny Bill comment"](http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/6556650/Backlash-over-Deakers-Sonny-Bill-comment). 11 March 2012. 1. [Murray Deaker blows the final whistle on long career](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11148950) *New Zealand Herald*, 30 October 2013. 1. ["Queen's Birthday honours list 2009"](https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2009). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2020. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Murray Deaker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Deaker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Deaker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.