Famous British Editors

Vote for Your Favourite British Editors

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Christopher Tolkien
(Editor, Illustrator, Academic and the Son of Author J. R. R. Tolkien)
Christopher Tolkien
6
Birthdate: November 21, 1924
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Leeds, United Kingdom
Died: January 16, 2020

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.

 2 
Anna Wintour
(Journalist)
Anna Wintour
10
Birthdate: November 3, 1949
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hampstead, London, England

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.

 3 
Ian Hislop
(British Journalist, Editor and Writer)
Ian Hislop
5
Birthdate: July 13, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mumbles, Swansea, Wales

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.

Recommended Lists:
 4 
Andrew Sullivan
6
Birthdate: August 10, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Godstone

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.

Recommended Lists:
 5 
Alan Coren
(Writer)
Alan Coren
5
Birthdate: June 27, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Paddington
Died: October 18, 2007

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.

 6 
Rebekah Brooks
(British Journalist and CEO of 'News UK')
Rebekah Brooks
6
Birthdate: May 27, 1968
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Warrington, Lancashire, England

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.

 7 
Tina Brown
(English Journalist, Magazine Editor, Columnist and Broadcaster)
Tina Brown
3
Birthdate: November 21, 1953
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Maidenhead, Berkshire, England
 8 
Rachel Johnson
(Editor, Journalist)
Rachel Johnson
5
Birthdate: September 3, 1965
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England

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.

 9 
Grace Coddington
(Model, Wardrobe stylist, Fashion editor, Journalist)
Grace Coddington
3
Birthdate: April 20, 1941
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Anglesey

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.

 10 
William Ernest Henley
(English Poet Best Known for His Poem 'Invictus' (1875))
William Ernest Henley
4
Birthdate: August 23, 1849
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gloucester, England
Died: July 11, 1903

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.

 11 
Nigel Lawson
(Journalist, Politician, Editor)
Nigel Lawson
4
Birthdate: March 11, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hampstead

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.

 12 
Roger Scruton
( English Philosopher and Writer Who Specialised in Aesthetics and Political Philosophy)
Roger Scruton
4
Birthdate: February 27, 1944
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Buslingthorpe, Lincolnshire, England
Died: January 12, 2020

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.

 13 
Isabella Blow
(English Magazine Editor)
Isabella Blow
4
Birthdate: November 19, 1958
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: May 7, 2007

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.

 14 
Gary Whitta
(Journalist, Editor, Screenwriter)
Gary Whitta
4
Birthdate: July 21, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Poplar

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.

 15 
Kelvin MacKenzie
(English Media Executive and a Former Newspaper Editor)
Kelvin MacKenzie
4
Birthdate: October 22, 1946
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Thanet, Kent, England
 16 
Dominic Lawson
(Columnist, Journalist, Editor)
Dominic Lawson
3
Birthdate: December 17, 1956
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wandsworth

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.

 17 
Alan Rusbridger
(British Journalist and Formerly Editor-In-Chief of 'The Guardian')
Alan Rusbridger
3
Birthdate: December 29, 1953
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lusaka, Zambia
 18 
Wyndham Lewis
(Painter, Writer, Journalist, Editor, Novelist)
Wyndham Lewis
3
Birthdate: November 18, 1882
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Amherst
Died: March 7, 1957

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.

 19 
Toby Young
(British Social Commentator)
Toby Young
5
Birthdate: October 17, 1963
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Buckinghamshire, England

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.

 20 
Charles Wintour
(Editor)
Charles Wintour
3
Birthdate: May 18, 1917
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pamphill, England
Died: November 4, 1999

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.

 21 
William Worrall Mayo
(Chemist, Politician, Gynaecologist, Editor)
William Worrall Mayo
3
Birthdate: May 31, 1819
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Salford
Died: March 6, 1911

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.

 22 
Anne V. Coates
(British Film Editor)
Anne V. Coates
3
Birthdate: December 12, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Reigate, England, United Kingdom
Died: May 8, 2018

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.

 23 
Cristina Odone
(Journalist, Editor)
Cristina Odone
3
Birthdate: November 11, 1960
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nairobi, Kenya

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.

 24 
David Astor
(British Newspaper Publisher, Editor of ‘The Observer’ and Member of the 'Astor Family')
David Astor
3
Birthdate: March 5, 1912
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England
Died: December 7, 2001

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.

 25 
Larry Lamb
(Newspaper editor)
Larry Lamb
2
Birthdate: July 15, 1929
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Fitzwilliam, England
Died: May 19, 2000
Popular tabloid journalist Larry Lamb is remembered for bringing the Page 3 to The Sun, as its editor. Overtly critical and over-the-top in his work, he was the son of a blacksmith. Born Albert Lamb, he changed his name to Larry, after a character in a BBC children’s radio series.
 26 
John Morley
(Statesman)
John Morley
2
Birthdate: December 24, 1838
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Blackburn, England
Died: September 23, 1923

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.

 27 
James Anthony Froude
(British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, and Editor of Fraser’s Magazine)
James Anthony Froude
2
Birthdate: April 23, 1818
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dartington Rectory, Devon, England
Died: October 20, 1894

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.

 28 
Norman Lockyer
(British Scientist and Astronomer Known for Discovering the Gas Helium and Was the Founder of the Journal 'Nature')
Norman Lockyer
2
Birthdate: May 17, 1836
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Died: August 16, 1920

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.

 29 
Philip Toynbee
(British Writer and Editor Best Known for Novels That Experiment With Time and Symbolical Elements)
Philip Toynbee
2
Birthdate: June 25, 1916
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: June 15, 1981

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. 

 30 
J.R. Ackerley
(British Writer and Editor)
J.R. Ackerley
3
Birthdate: November 4, 1896
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
Died: June 4, 1967

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.

 31 
Edwin Arnold
(British Poet and Journalist Known for His Work 'The Light of Asia')
Edwin Arnold
2
Birthdate: June 10, 1832
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Gravesend, Gravesham, Kent, England
Died: March 24, 1904

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.

 32 
John Maddox
(Chemist)
John Maddox
2
Birthdate: November 27, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Penllergaer, Wales
Died: April 12, 2009

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.

 33 
Frederick James Furnivall
(Philologists)
Frederick James Furnivall
2
Birthdate: February 4, 1825
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Egham, England, United Kingdom
Died: July 2, 1910
 34 
Mark Boxer
(Cartoonist)
Mark Boxer
2
Birthdate: May 19, 1931
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Berkhamsted,England
Died: July 20, 1988
 35 
Bryher
(Novelist)
Bryher
2
Birthdate: September 2, 1894
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Margate, England
Died: January 28, 1983
 36 
Arthur Symons
(British Poet Known for His Literary and Editorial Contributions to 'The Yellow Book' and 'The Savoy')
Arthur Symons
2
Birthdate: February 28, 1865
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Milford Haven, Wales
Died: January 22, 1945

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.

 37 
Liz Tilberis
(Editor)
Liz Tilberis
2
Birthdate: September 7, 1947
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Alderley Edge, England
Died: April 21, 1999
 38 
Tom Taylor
(British Playwright and and Editor of 'Punch Magazine')
Tom Taylor
2
Birthdate: October 19, 1817
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, England
Died: July 12, 1880

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.

 39 
Rachel Beer
(Editor-in-chief of The Observer and The Sunday Times)
Rachel Beer
1
Birthdate: April 7, 1858
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bombay, India
Died: April 29, 1927
 40 
Robert Smith Surtees
(Novelist)
Robert Smith Surtees
2
Birthdate: May 17, 1805
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: County Durham, England
Died: March 16, 1864
 41 
Stanley Sadie
(British Musicologist, Music Critic, and Editor)
Stanley Sadie
2
Birthdate: October 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Wembley, England
Died: March 21, 2005

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.

 42 
Peter Hebblethwaite
(British Jesuit Priest, Author, and Vaticanologist)
Peter Hebblethwaite
1
Birthdate: September 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ashton-under-Lyne, England
Died: December 18, 1994
 43 
John Lehmann
(Poet)
John Lehmann
2
Birthdate: June 2, 1907
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bourne End, Wooburn Green, United Kingdom
Died: April 7, 1987
 44 
Alfred Richard Orage
(Teacher)
Alfred Richard Orage
2
Birthdate: January 22, 1873
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dacre, England
Died: November 6, 1934
 45 
Edward Garnett
(Writer)
Edward Garnett
1
Birthdate: January 5, 1868
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 19, 1937
 46 
John Gross
(Writer)
John Gross
1
Birthdate: March 12, 1935
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England
Died: January 10, 2011
 47 
Rex Warner
(Writer)
Rex Warner
2
Birthdate: March 9, 1905
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Birmingham, England
Died: June 24, 1986
 48 
David English
(Journalist)
David English
1
Birthdate: May 26, 1931
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: June 10, 1998
 49 
Anne Scott-James
(Journalist)
Anne Scott-James
2
Birthdate: April 5, 1913
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Died: May 13, 2009
 50 
Fougasse
(Cartoonist)
Fougasse
1
Birthdate: December 17, 1887
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: June 11, 1965