Three Hello! journalists sent home to make space

Hall:confident of beating OK! sales

Three journalists on Hello! have been told they will have to work from home to create more space in the office for the sales team.

The move will affect a writer, sub-editor and Hello! diarist, John Rendall.

Editor Phil Hall said: "We have got the commercial and advertising department in a separate building which makes life difficult because we have to grab a taxi to get out there. We’re moving them back in here and we have got to make some space so three people will be working from outside the office instead of inside."

Hall said Rendall was part-time and was planning to spend more time expanding his own PR business. He said the writer only worked two days a week so the only full-time member of staff was the sub.

"They were surprised but as usual with people working on the magazine, they are supportive," he said.

Hall denied Hello! was involved in a bidding war for exclusive rights to Joan Collins’ wedding which was won by OK! "We thought, as it’s the fifth wedding it wouldn’t sell," he said. "If it was going for nothing, it may have gone in but we didn’t think it was a good judgement by OK!" According to Hall, ABC figures released next month will show Hello! outselling OK! on the news-stands. "We have had a fantastic year, revenues are strong and it’s all systems go. We had very good sales with the Westlife wedding and it looks like we have beaten OK! by 45-50,000," he said.