Murdoch promotes Tony Gallagher to edit The Times
RUPERT MURDOCH has turned to Tony Gallagher, a former editor of The Daily Telegraph, as the next leader of The Times.
Mr Gallagher has been promoted from deputy editor to editor, succeeding John Witherow, who stepped down this week after a period of illness.
Mr Gallagher, 58, said he was “enormously proud” to become the editor of a newspaper that he first subscribed to as a teenager.
He previously worked within Mr Murdoch’s business as editor of The Sun, and served two stints in senior roles at The Daily Mail. Mr Gallagher edited The Daily Telegraph for five years until 2014. On his departure Mr Gallagher briefly worked as a chef at a London restaurant. He has taken the editor’s chair at The Times at a critical time as the decline of print newspapers accelerates and news publishers attempt to shift their businesses online.
He said: “I am acutely conscious of the heritage of The Times but the title also has an exciting future. We have made significant strides with our digital transition – and there are more to come – but world-class storytelling will always be at the heart of what we do.”
Mr Murdoch poached him to become The Sun’s editor in 2015, where he courted controversy with a story claiming that the Queen backed Brexit.
Claims by the former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg that the story was “nonsense” were dismissed by Mr Gallagher, who said the title knew more than they printed. He was made deputy editor of The Times in 2020.
Mr Murdoch said: “Tony is an exceptional editor with an expert and experienced eye.” The reshuffle, which sees Mr Witherow become chairman of Times Newspapers, comes after the media mogul persuaded the Government to lift restrictions preventing a merger with