John Humphrys has won an award for his "fearless inquisition", just months after an on-air grilling led to the departure of the BBC Director-General.
The presenter, one of the hosts of Radio 4's Today programme, is to be given the Harvey Lee Award by the Broadcasting Press Guild.
He left George Entwistle struggling during a live interview over his handling of the fall-out from Jimmy Savile's abuse. Entwistle's bumbling performance contributed to his resignation later that day after just 54 days in the post.
Humphrys has been given the award because "his tenacious interviewing of politicians and others in the news has made his name a byword for fearless inquisition".
The 69-year-old has been a familiar figure for more than 40 years as a BBC reporter, presenter and interviewer. He is questionmaster of BBC2's Mastermind and a former host of BBC1's Nine O'Clock News. He joined the Today programme 26 years ago.
Previous recipients of the Harvey Lee Award - given in memory of a late member of the BPG - have included Sir David Frost, Sir Terry Wogan, Melvyn Bragg and Charles Wheeler.
Other winners of the BPG's awards - chosen by journalists who write about TV and radio - will be announced at a lunchtime ceremony today.
