Famous British Editors

Christopher Tolkien was a French and English academic editor. The son of legendary author J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher edited much of his father's work, which was published after his father's demise. Christopher Tolkien is also credited with drawing the original maps in, The Lord of the Rings, one of his father's highly acclaimed novels.

Anna Wintour is a British-American journalist. She has been working as Vogue's Editor-in-Chief since 1988. Known for having an eye for emerging fashion trends, Wintour is credited with reviving Vogue as it was viewed as a stagnating publication when she assumed control in 1988. Nicknamed Nuclear Wintour due to her demanding personality, Wintour inspired the story The Devil Wears Prada.

Ian Hislop is a satirist, journalist, broadcaster, writer, and editor of a magazine called Private Eye. A popular figure, Hislop has appeared in many television and radio shows over the years. Hislop is renowned for his work in the TV show Have I Got News for You where he has been a team captain since the show's inception in 1990.

Andrew Sullivan is a British-American blogger, editor, and author. A political commentator, Sullivan has contributed immensely to several publications like The New Republic, where he was an editor. From 2016 to 2020, he also worked for New York magazine, where he was a writer-at-large. In 1996, Andrew Sullivan’s book Virtually Normal won the Mencken Award under Best Book category.

Rebekah Brooks is a British former newspaper editor and journalist. She currently works as a media executive and has been serving as News UK's CEO since 2015. In 2003, she started working as the editor of The Sun, becoming the first female editor of the tabloid. From 2009 to 2011, she served as the chief executive officer of News International.

Alan Coren was an English satirist, writer, and humorist best remembered for his association with the popular quiz show The News Quiz, which was aired on the BBC radio. A multi-talented personality, Coren also worked as a journalist and served as the editor of Punch magazine for almost a decade.

Isabella Blow was an English editor who edited magazines like Vogue. As the muse of Philip Treacy, Blow is credited with discovering models like Sophie Dahl and Stella Tennant. Isabella Blow is also credited with supporting and enriching the career of English fashion designer and couturier Alexander McQueen. Isabella Blow committed suicide at the age of 48.

Rachel Johnson is a British television presenter, journalist, and author. She is known for appearing in panel discussion programs and debate programs, such as The Pledge and Question Time. A well-known novelist, Johnson served as a judge of the 2013 Women's Prize for Fiction, one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the UK.

Born to a hotelier couple in Wales, Grace Coddington grew up reading Vogue, which she later headed as its creative director. She had, at age 18, interestingly begun her modeling career with Vogue, too. However, a car accident at age 26, which disfigured her face, cut her modeling career short.

Best known for his short poem Invictus, William Ernest Henley was a Victorian-era British poet and author. A disease he contracted in childhood caused one of his legs to be amputated. It is believed, he was the inspiration behind the crippled character Long John Silver in RL Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Nigel Lawson is a British journalist and Conservative politician. From 1981 to 1989, he served in the cabinet of the then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. An influential politician, Lawson has also served in many other important positions, such as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary of State for Energy, and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Philosopher and author Roger Scruton is best remembered for his work as an editor of The Salisbury Review and for his countless books on topics such as art, sexuality, and political philosophy. He also taught at Boston University and other institutes, and was a skilled pianist and composer, too.

Best known for his screenplays for The Book of Eli and After Earth, Gary Whitta has also written for games such as Prey and Gears of War. Also known as The Gaz, he was one of the men behind the magazine PC Gamer and once also wrote for the video-game magazine ACE.

Apart from being an editor of The Spectator and The Sunday Telegraph, British journalist Dominic Lawson is the son of politician Nigel Lawson. An avid chess player, he has also authored a book on the sport. He is also rumored to have worked as an MI6 agent, though he has denied such claims.

Known as one of the co-founders of Vorticism, a London-based art movement, author-painter Wyndham Lewis is best remembered for his books such as Tarr and The Apes of God. His paintings mingled features of Cubism and Futurism. In his later life, a pituitary tumor made him blind and practically ended his career.

Toby Young is an English social commentator and associate editor of an online magazine named Quillette, where he has been contributing as a writer since 2017. Over the years, he has also worked for popular publications like The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail. Toby Young is also credited with co-founding the now-defunct magazine Modern Review.

Born to a military family, Charles Wintour initially joined the Royal Norfolk Regiment and even earned an MBE after World War II. He then began writing for the Evening Standard, which he later headed as its editor-in-chief. He is also remembered as the father of journalists Anna and Patrick Wintour.

Part of the renowned Mayo family of doctors of the U.S., William Worrall Mayo played a key role in establishing the Mayo Clinic. He and his two sons built the St. Mary’s Hospital, along with the Sisters of St. Francis, after the deadly tornado of 1883 destroyed Rochester.

Initially a nurse at Sir Archibald McIndoe’s East Grinstead plastic surgery hospital, Anne V. Coates later stepped into the world of entertainment with the hope of becoming a film director. She became a film editor instead and eventually earned an Academy Award for her work in the film Lawrence of Arabia.

Italian-British journalist Cristina Odone has spent a major part of her career writing about topics such as parenting and family. A regular columnist at The Observer and The Daily Telegraph, she has also worked with The New Statesman and The Catholic Herald, and has established the charity Parenting Circle.

Born to Waldorf Astor, the owner of The Observer, David Astor followed in his father’s footsteps and transformed the family-owned newspaper into its progressive avatar, as its editor. Educated at Eton, he had later joined Oxford but left without a degree. He later promoted creative arts in prisons.

John Morley was a British writer, newspaper editor, and politician. Morley served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from February to July 1886. Between 1905 and 1910, he was the Secretary of State for India. John Morley is best remembered for his writings, many of which have been published. Morley is credited with inspiring influential figures like Mahomed Ali Jinnah.

James Anthony Froude was an English novelist, biographer, and historian. He also contributed as an editor for Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country. Froude was often counted among the best-known historians of his time. A controversial personality, Froude's writings were often polemical which earned him many outspoken opponents.

British astronomer Norman Lockyer is known for his discovery of the gas helium, along with French astronomer Pierre Janssen, though both worked independently. A talented author, too, he established the periodical Nature and remained associated with it till death. He was knighted for his achievements.

Philip Toynbee was a British communist and writer who wrote experimental novels. He also wrote distinctive verse novels, including his epic piece Pantaloon. He also contributed immensely to the success of The Observer, where he worked for many days. Despite suffering from depression and a personal crisis, Philip Toynbee continued writing until his death on 15 June 1981. 

Best known for his book The Light of Asia, a narrative poem on Gautama Buddha, English poet and journalist Edwin Arnold had initially been a school teacher. He later also worked as a journalist, before turning to writing full-time. His The Song Celestial was a poetic version of the Bhagavad Gita.

Theoretical chemist and physicist John Maddox is best remembered for his science writing and his 22-year stint as an editor of Nature. He was also associated with The Manchester Guardian, as its science editor. He was also a founding trustee of the charity Sense about Science, which promotes science among common people.

British author J.R. Ackerley had spent 8 months in prison following his service in first World War. He had also later worked as the secretary of the Maharaja of Chhatarpur. He is also remembered for his work with the BBC and The Listener. Known for his eccentricity, he was also openly homosexual.

Considered a pioneer of French Symbolism in English poetry, Arthur Symons was mostly homeschooled in childhood and later moved to London, joining the Rhymers’ Club and other literary societies. He is chiefly remembered for his works such as Days and Nights and Silhouettes. He recovered from a serious bout of mental illness later.

Tom Taylor was an English biographer, dramatist, critic, and public servant. He also contributed as an editor for the popular British weekly magazine, Punch. His best-known playwright work Our American Cousin has gained historical significance as Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 while watching this particular play.

A Cambridge alumnus, Stanley Sadie later not only became a popular music journalist, writing for publications such as The Time and editing The Musical Times but also edited the Grove Dictionary of music. He also headed the Royal Musical Association as its president and wrote predominantly on Mozart and Handel.