The Telegraph has not renewed the contract of TV critic Clive James – but is in discussions with him about other writing work.
James, 74, returned to writing a weekly TV column in 2011 after nearly a 30-year break. Writing on his website James, who has been suffering from leukaemia, said he signed up for a six month contract, rather than a year, because “I might not have that long”.
Noting that James has “never used his illness as an excuse not to file” Private Eye reported this week that he had been “sacked” despite being "terribly unwell".
But a Telegraph spokesperson said: “Clive James is one of the best and most respected writers in British journalism, and we are proud to feature his work in the Telegraph. After this Saturday, he will no longer write a weekly television column in the Telegraph. He would like to focus more of his time and energy on completing two books.
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"However, it is our intention that Clive will contribute major essays and other extended pieces for the newspaper in the future, specifically on the publication of his forthcoming books.”
Clive James pictured above in 2007 (Reuters).
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