Victoria Newton

Victoria Newton (born 9 March 1972 in Liverpool, England) is the editor of The Sun. She formerly ran its "Bizarre" showbiz column and then became deputy editor of the paper, before becoming senior editor in February 2020.

Victoria Newton
Born (1972-03-09) 9 March 1972
Liverpool, England
EducationRushcliffe School
Alma materNewnham College, Cambridge
EmployerThe Sun

Early life

She attended Rushcliffe School, a comprehensive in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, where her father, Don, was deputy-headmaster. She went to Newnham College, Cambridge.

Career

Newton started in Fleet Street in 1993 at the Daily Express as a trainee after graduating from university[1], and then started the showbiz beat at The People. In 1998, she became an assistant to Dominic Mohan on The Sun's "Bizarre" pages, before becoming the paper's Los Angeles correspondent in 1999. Newton returned to the UK in 2002 to become the Daily Mail's showbiz editor, but returned to The Sun in 2003 to become editor of "Bizarre" replacing the departing Mohan.[2] She described it as her "dream job" in September 2005[3] although an anonymous critic began a Vickywatch blog detailing her mistakes.

Under her direction, "Bizarre" was known for presenting awards like 'Shagger of the Year' or 'Caner of the Year' and various other awards. However, it was revealed that the 2006 winners of the "Bizarre" readers' poll awards - who included Justin Timberlake and Madonna - were presented with their awards before readers had the opportunity to vote.[4] From 2006, Newton started producing a weekly podcast featuring many celebrity friends and musicians. Newton's column often contradicted her News International colleague Rav Singh's then-showbiz column in the News of the World.

"Bizarre's" biggest rivals were the Daily Mirror's "The 3AM Girls" Eva Simpson and Caroline Hedley, which was billed as the column packed with "proper showbiz exclusives". Newton frequently made appearances in Private Eye's "Street Of Shame".

In November 2007, it was announced that Newton would be leaving Bizarre and had been promoted to Head of Features and Entertainment. She was replaced by her assistant, Gordon Smart.[5] Newton remained in this job until her appointment as the deputy editor of the News of the World in October 2009,[6] a position she retained until the paper's closure in 2011, Newton was the paper's deputy editor. In September 2013, she was appointed the editor of The Sun on Sunday after being deputy editor of The Sun's whole 7 day operation. Her immediate superior remained David Dinsmore, The Sun's editor.[7][8]

Newton was appointed as editor of The Sun in February 2020 when her predecessor Tony Gallagher became deputy editor of The Times.[9] The Sun on Sunday is still being presided over by Newton, along with Keith Poole, and it is unclear if a dedicated editor will be appointed.[10]

Awards

See also

References
  1. "Victoria Newton | News UK". www.news.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
  2. Tara Conlan "Former News of the World deputy Victoria Newton rejoins the Sun", theguardian, 14 September 2011
  3. "Victoria Newton: My Life In Media", The Independent, 12 September 2005
  4. Greenslade, Roy (2007-01-07). "Blogger exposes Sun columnist's Bizarre 'mistakes'". Blogs.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  5. Stephen Brook (2007-11-16). "Senior executive reshuffle at the Sun". Guardian. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  6. Dominic Ponsford "Victoria Newton is News of the World dep ed", Press Gazette, 15 October 2009
  7. Lisa O'Carroll and Josh Halliday "Sun on Sunday appoints Victoria Newton as editor", theguardian.com, 13 September 2013
  8. Gavriel Hollander "New look Sun on Sunday launched this weekend with Victoria Newton as editor", Press Gazette, 13 September 2013
  9. Waterson, Jim (5 February 2020). "Victoria Newton becomes Sun editor as Tony Gallagher goes to Times". Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  10. Mayhew, Freddy (5 February 2020). "Shake-up at Murdoch newspapers as Sun editor Tony Gallagher moves to Times". Press Gazette. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  11. "European Court rules that Article 8 protects reputation as well as privacy – Press Gazette". www.pressgazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
Media offices
Preceded by
Jane Johnson		 Deputy Editor of the News of the World
2009–2011		 Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by
New position		 Editor of the Sun on Sunday
with Keith Poole 2020–present
2013–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Tony Gallagher		 Editor of The Sun
2020–present		 Incumbent
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