David Yelland (journalist)

David Yelland (born 14 May 1963) is a British writer, a former journalist and editor of The Sun and a partner at Brunswick Group LLP, a global financial public relations and communications company in London.^[1] He regularly appears on radio and television.

Early life

He was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Education

Yelland was educated at Brigg Grammar School (now known as Sir John Nelthorpe School) in Brigg, Lincolnshire from 1976–81,^[2] followed by Coventry University, where he obtained a BA in Economics.^[1] He was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party.^[3] He later studied at the Harvard Business School in 2003,^[1] sponsored by News International.^[4]

Journalism

Yelland's first journalism post after university was at the Buckinghamshire Advertiser.^[1] He was a trainee with Westminster Press, then part of Pearson, and worked on a series of regional papers including the Northern Echo and the North West Times in Manchester.^[3] Yelland was hired as business editor on The Sun in 1992 by then-editor Kelvin McKenzie,^[5][6] and became deputy editor of New York Post in 1995,^[1] as well as a speech writer for Rupert Murdoch.^[6]

Editorship of The Sun

He was editor of the British tabloid newspaper The Sun from mid-1998^[6] to January 2003. His predecessor was Stuart Higgins and his successor was Rebekah Wade.^[7]

Yelland says his favourite headline was "Is this the most dangerous man in Britain?" about Tony Blair, and his worst moments were publishing topless photos of Sophie Rhys-Jones (now HRH The Countess of Wessex)^[5][8] and running a front-page editorial asking whether Britain was being run by a "Gay Mafia".^[3] During his editorship he regularly feuded with Piers Morgan of the Daily Mirror.^[3][9]

Public relations

Yelland became senior vice-chairman of the PR consultancy firm Weber Shandwick in 2004.^[10] He joined Brunswick in 2006.^[1] At Brunswick, he advises businesses on media and crisis management. His clients have included Lord Browne, Burberry, Ocado, Lord Foster, Tony Ball (ex-Sky), Warner Music Group, Brookfield Multiplex,^[10] Tesco,^[10][11] Coca-Cola,^[10] and Cadbury-Schweppes.

Writing

Yelland has written a children's novel about a 10-year-old who tries to hide his father's alcoholism, titled The Truth about Leo,^[12] which was published by Penguin Books in April 2010.^[13][14]

Personal life

Yelland is married to Charlotte Elston, director of communications at BBC Worldwide.^[15]

He married Tania Farrell in January 1996 at City Hall, New York City, but the couple divorced in 2004. Their son, Max, was born in August 1998. Tania died from breast cancer in September 2006.^[1][12]

Yelland said in 2009 that he checked into rehab for alcoholism in 2005, since when he has not drunk alcohol.^[12] He said his novel was written both for children and adults, and a further theme is that of a young boy who has lost his mother. The book is dedicated to the memory of Tania and to Max.

Yelland was adopted at birth by Michael and Patricia Yelland of York.^[1] He has a younger brother, Paul. Yelland subsequently traced his birth father, an Irish peace campaigner and folk singer named John Sheridan.^[1][16] Yelland's natural mother was a children's writer from Harrogate, who died before he could meet her.^[1] In childhood he suffered alopecia and after wearing a series of wigs decided to go without when he was 31 and living in New York.^[1]

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.^[3] He is a board member of the NSPCC and in 2007 was appointed a Life Patron of the charity.^[14] He supports Manchester City. He is a board member of the National Campaign for the Arts.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} "A life in the day: David Yelland". The Sunday Times. 8 April 2007. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article1623283.ece. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
2. ^ "Briggensian David Yelland appointed Editor of the SUN". Briggensians. http://www.briggensians.net/news/newsarch1.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Murden, Terry (25 September 2005). "Interview: David Yelland: A new place in the sun". Scotland on Sunday (Edinburgh). http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/scotland-on-sunday-edinburgh/mi_7924/is_2005_Sept_25/interview-david-yelland-sun/ai_n34087009/. Retrieved 23 January 2010. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ Jury, Louise (14 January 2003). "The quiet man of tabloid journalism returns to the US". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-quiet-man-of-tabloid-journalism-returns-to-the-us-601357.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Morris, Sophie (16 May 2005). "My Mentor: David Yelland on Rupert Murdoch". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/my-mentor-david-yelland-on-rupert-murdoch-490922.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} "Media top 100 2001: 14. David Yelland". The Guardian. 16 July 2001. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/jul/16/mediatop10020017. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
7. ^ Billings, Claire (13 January 2003). "David Yelland replaced by Wade as Sun editor". Brand Republic. http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/168047/David-Yelland-replaced-Wade-Sun-editor/. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
8. ^ "BBC BREAKFAST WITH FROST INTERVIEW: DAVID YELLAND, FORMER EDITOR, THE SUN & DAVID HILL, FORMER LABOUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS". Breakfast With Frost (BBC). 19 January 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast_with_frost/2674143.stm. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
9. ^ O'Carroll, Lisa (22 April 2002). "Yelland rubbishes new-look Mirror". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/apr/22/pressandpublishing1. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d} Snoddy, Raymond (4 July 2005). "Colin Byrne & David Yelland: "Yes, we do have the same interests"". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/colin-byrne-amp-david-yelland-yes-we-do-have-the-same-interests-497457.html. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
11. ^ Day, Julia (9 June 2005). "Tesco bags Yelland for PR role". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/jun/09/marketingandpr.pressandpublishing. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
12. ^ ^{a b c} Pidd, Helen (11 November 2009). "Former Sun editor David Yelland says alcohol nearly killed him". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/nov/11/former-sun-editor-yelland-alcohol. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
13. ^ Jury, Louise (10 November 2009). "David Yelland: Drink almost killed me". Evening Standard (London). http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23767160-david-yelland-drink-almost-killed-me.do. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
14. ^ ^{a b} "The Truth About Leo". Puffin Fiction. Penguin Books. http://www.penguincatalogue.co.uk/hi/puffin/title.html?titleId=7247&catalogueId=231. Retrieved 23 January 2010. ^{[dead link]} Review The Daily Telegraph 3 April 2010
15. ^ "Some sunny day". Daily Telegraph. 1 June 2010. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/7794585/Jesus-Luz-back-at-Madonnas-home.html. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
16. ^ Sheridan, Dorothy (30 August 2006). "Obituary - John Sheridan". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/aug/30/obituaries.mainsection. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 

External links

• IMDb

Media offices
Preceded by Stuart Higgins	Editor of The Sun 1998–2003	Succeeded by Rebekah Wade

Persondata
Name	Yelland, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	14 May 1963
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death