A Scottish national newspaper editor is returning to his former paper, so he can spend more time with his family.
John McLellan, who has been editor of Scotland on Sunday for the past three years, is to return to his previous role as editor of the Edinburgh Evening News – also part of Scotsman Publications.
Evening News editor Ian Stewart is to move to The Scotsman as deputy editor to Iain Martin – replacing Will Peakin.
John McGurk, editorial director of Scotsman Publications, said a new editor for Scotland on Sunday would be appointed within the next two months, although the company was not in a rush to fill the post.
McGurk said: “The reason that McLellan is going back to the Evening News is that he is about to become a father for the third time.
“He feels the role that he is now going to take up is more compatible with his growing family commitments.
“Ian Stewart became editor of the Evening News in 2002. Ian’s position on The Scotsman is a promotion and one that he welcomes.”
Stewart has been with the company for 10 years – initially as news editor of The Scotsman.
After a period at the Scottish Daily Mail, he returned as news editor, then assistant editor of Scotland on Sunday, before taking over the editor’s chair at the Evening News.
McGurk stressed that Peakin was not leaving the company.
“Like any of these situations, we have to negotiate with Will about his future within the company and this is what we are doing.”
McLellan’s role switch means that Scotland’s two national broadsheet Sundays will both have new editors within months of each other.
Richard Walker has stepped up from deputy to editor at the Sunday Herald as editor Andrew Jaspan heads off to Australia to edit The Age in Melbourne.
Bad blood has frequently been spilled in public between McLellan and Jaspan, with bickering over circulation figures and a string of vitriolic diary items in both papers.
Walker, who like Jaspan, has also worked at The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, is expected to adopt a more conciliatory tone – in public, at least.
By Hamish Mackay
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog