I've been chucking out some old copies of Press Gazette and came across this classic from 1997.
Press Gazette's Jean Morgan was leaked a copy of an apologetic letter Piers Morgan (no relation), then editor of the Mirror, had sent to Sun editor Stuart Higgins after the Mirror had rubbished the Sun's coverage of the Bruce Grobbelaar match fixing allegations.
The Mirror had accused Higgins, his deputy Neil Wallis and Mirror reporters Guy Patrick and John Troup of being "the four men who tried to smear our national sport."
Morgan confessed in his letter to Higgins: "I hope you will accept that I've been a complete tosser on this occasion" and said he realised he had behaved like "a total prat".
His reaction to his letter being leaked was: "This is a disgraceful invasion of my privacy by the Sun."
- Hold the Front Page publisher Paul Linford (see post below) reckons the best UKPG splash headline was when Thomson Regional Newspapers snatched Keith Perch from Northcliffe to edit the South Wales Echo. Perch was acting editor of Northcliffe's new UK News agency at the time. UK News md Alex Leys' response to losing Perch was: "We are all very pleased for Keith but obviously disappointed for the many young executives in Thomson who have been overlooked yet again for an editor's chair in that group."
Posts
3 comments:
No, 'Perch poached' was. In fact it was so good you used it twice.
It wasn't an entirely serious suggestion, Jon!
Paul,
At least it gave me a chance to repeat Alex Leys' quote.
Post a Comment