View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

NoW US editor James Desborough quizzed by police

By Press Gazette

Award-winning former News of the World showbiz editor James Desboroug is understood to have become the latest journalist to be questioned as part of the Scotland Yard investigation into phone-hacking.

A 38-year-old was today arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications after arriving by appointment at a south London police station, Scotland Yard said.

Desborough joined the News of the World in 2005 and moved to America as US editor in 2009.

He was named showbiz reporter of the year at the 2009 British Press Awards for stories about Heather McCartney, Peaches Geldoff’s divorce and Fern Britton’s gastric band.

At the time he told Press Gazette: “A lot of deals are done these days between PRs and papers – but these stories were all old-fashioned journalism where we said: ‘We know this to be true, would you like to comment?”

Some 13 individuals have now been arrested by police investigating new allegations of phone-hacking at the News of the World. These include former News editors for the paper Ian Edmondson, James Weatherup and Greg Miskiw, former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, former managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former editors of the paper Andy Coulson and Rebekah Wade and former deputy editor Neil Wallis.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network