Hugh Whittow

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Hugh Whittow is a British newspaper editor.

Whittow worked for the Western Telegraph and the South Wales Echo, before moving to London to work on the London Evening News, and then the Daily Star. In the mid-1980s, he joined The Sun, where he became known for obtaining scoops. In October 1986, Whittow became one of the first journalists to report that Queen singer Freddie Mercury could be suffering from AIDS, just a couple of months after his final live performance with the band at Knebworth Park. Whittow approached Mercury at Heathrow Airport where he was returning from a shopping trip to Japan. Mercury denied that he had a sexual disease.[1]

In 1987, Whittow travelled to Spain with a brief to purchase a donkey which was due to be beaten as part of a fiesta, and send it to a sanctuary in the UK. However, a Daily Star journalist achieved this before him, and his newspaper taunted The Sun over this in a front-page story. Soon after, Whittow returned to the Star.[2]

Whittow became deputy editor of the Daily Star, and edited the Daily Star Sunday from its launch until 2003, then became Deputy Editor of the Daily Express. In 2011, he was promoted to become Editor of the paper.[2]

References

  1. Do I Look Like I'm Dying Of Aids? Fumes Freddie. The Sun. 18 October 1986.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Tara Conlan, "Hugh Whittow rides to Express top job despite Blackie the Donkey", The Guardian, 8 February 2011
Media offices
Preceded by
New position
Editor of the Daily Star Sunday
2002–2003
Succeeded by
Gareth Morgan
Preceded by
Nicola Briggs
Deputy Editor of the Daily Express
2003–2011
Succeeded by
Michael Booker
Preceded by Editor of the Daily Express
2011–present
Incumbent