Reverend Murray Grant

A MUCH-loved priest and former ocean liner steward who rubbed shoulders with the stars has died aged 89.

Reverend Murray Grant was born in Bristol, the second of five children.

Leaving school at 16 he joined the merchant navy and during the 1950s worked as a steward on board the Queen Mary, sailing regularly between Southampton and New York, serving the rich and famous like Bing Crosby and Noël Coward.

His brother Rob Grant said: “He never had any money but he seemed to live like a king, he was always going to the best places and rubbing shoulders with all sorts of well known people.”

Returning to dry land, he ran a restaurant in Dartmouth, Devon, and it was there he had a religious awakening, which took him to Chichester Theological College to train as an Anglican priest.

He served in several London parishes including St Mary Magdalene, Regent’s Park, and at St James the Less in Pimlico.

Mr Grant said: “Being a priest it was all about the community for him. His church services were so fantastic. They were never dull. He would really put his soul and energy into getting people involved.

“He loved to travel, when he was at theological college on vacations he would take off with a backpack and travel all around Yugoslavia, or to Greece to Mount Athos. He was an intrepid traveller.”

Rev Murray’s wedding to Love Thy Neighbour star Nina Baden-Semper

In 1971 Rev Murray married Nina Baden-Semper, the star of the TV comedy series Love Thy Neighbour at St Mary Magdalene church, in the Regent’s Park estate, where he was assistant priest at the time. They spent 25 years together before parting ways.

His last assignment as a full-time priest was as vicar of Christ Church, Naples. There he would phone in for his weekly spiritual chats, broadcast live as Pause for Thought on Terry Wogan’s BBC Radio 2 show.

“He had a great sense of humour,” said Mr Grant. “One of his first broadcasts, he recounted having all his clothes stolen from a deserted beach in Naples after taking a swim. His car keys were gone too.

“He always said it was bloody lucky he had his swim trunks on.”

His avid listeners included the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and in 2001 he was invited to lunch with them at Buckingham Palace.

Retirement took him to Tunisia and after a heart ailment and stroke in 2008 he returned to London. He assisted with services, baptisms, weddings and funerals at St Martin’s Church, Gospel Oak. And, as an avid gardener, trans­formed the communal terrace at a sheltered housing block from rack and ruin into the hanging gardens of Babylon, planting apple and fig trees and strawberry and asparagus beds, receiving awards from Camden Council for his work.

Mr Grant said: “He was very well read and, while very religious, was always questioning religion. He loved painting and his love was further fuelled by his time in Italy gazing at Renaissance art.”

He leaves behind his partner Amine and chil­dren Caroline and Joe.