Ex-MoS man Jim Gillespie dies at 61

JIM GILLESPIE, a highly respected Fleet Street journalist and a former senior executive on The Mail on Sunday, has died at the age of 61.

He held several high-level positions, including editor of this newspaper’s influential Review section and features and comment editor on the Daily Mail.

More recently he wrote for The Sunday Times.

As a journalist he combined a lightness of touch with a seriousness of purpose. He notably produced a series of articles denouncing the false sexual abuse allegations made against the late Home Secretary Leon Brittan by fantasist Carl Beech.

As an example of the breadth of Jim’s talent, his last article – published posthumously on Monday and written with his usual self-deprecating wit – was about his lifelong passion for the American rock legend Bruce Springsteen.

Jim was born in Qatar, where his father worked as an engineer, and he was the youngest of three siblings. His twin sister Helen arrived minutes before him. The family settled in Crawley, West Sussex, when Jim was seven.

Away from work he enjoyed photography, cycling, watching the Tour de France, plane spotting and supporting Crystal Palace.

Passionate about newspaper journalism, Jim often mentored young reporters starting out in the industry.

Ted Verity, Editor of The Mail on Sunday, said: ‘Jim made a huge contribution, masterminding sparkling features and agendasetting investigations.

‘His charm and dry sense of humour meant he was enormously well liked and respected by his many friends and colleagues.’

Jim died on October 25 and leaves behind a wife, Pauline, and their three sons Liam, Daniel and Matthew.