Wendy Henry
Wendy Henry is a former journalist and newspaper editor.
Early life[edit]
Wendy moved with her twin sister Sara from her mother's house in St Annes on Sea to Manchester in the late 1960s to live with their father, a Jewish market trader.[1][2] By the age of eighteen, she had a child.[2]
In their youth, Henry and her sister were active socialists, joining the International Socialists[3][4] and later the International-Communist League. In 1972, she was given an absolute discharge after being accused of attempting to throw a carton of milk at Edward Heath when he visited Salford.[5] Her involvement in radical activism at the University of Manchester was spotted by Brian Whittle, Brian Taylor and Peter Reece, who took her on at the Manchester News Service.[6]
Career in journalism[edit]
In the 1970s, Henry had a six-month trial with the Daily Mail, but was not given a permanent position. She worked as a freelance before joining the features department of the News of the World, then became features editor of Woman. She then became serialisation editor of The Sun, followed by a stint as woman's editor, then assistant editor (features).[7] According to Roy Greenslade, during the Falklands War, when she heard that the General Belgrano had been sunk, she joked "Gotcha", which was used by editor Kelvin MacKenzie as a the Sun headline.[8] In 1983, she was suspended for two weeks after fabricating an interview with Falklands veteran Simon Weston.[9] She was the first journalist to report that Princess Margaret was having a relationship with Roddy Llewellyn.[1]
Newspaper editor[edit]
Henry was then promoted to editor of the News of the World's Sunday magazine,[7] before being appointed editor of the newspaper in 1987.[10] Although often described as the first female Fleet Street editor, she was preceded by Delarivier Manley, Rachel Beer and Mary Howarth.[11]
In 1988, Henry moved to become editor of the Sunday People,[10] where she was able to have more input into the leading articles.[12] While there, she became known for publishing controversial pictures, including victims of the Sioux City air crash, an ailing Sammy Davis Jr and a seven-year-old Prince William urinating in public.[13] Following the publication of the last two photographs, particularly the one involving the Prince William,[14][15] she was sacked. In 1990 she moved to the United States to become editor of The Globe.[10]
Later career[edit]
In the mid-1990s, she produced A Current Affair on Fox. She then edited the "Spotlight" supplement of the New York Daily News from its launch,[7] then edited Successful Slimming before returning to London to launch a British edition.[16] She next worked for Parkhill Publishing alongside Eve Pollard,[7] and spent a year editing Real Homes.[16]
Henry became Press Officer for Battersea Dogs Home in 1997,[10] and was later secretary to several committees at the centre. In 2002, she began working for them as a full-time dog re-socialiser.[7] In 2004, she joined noSWeat journalism training as a "Professor of Anecdotes".[17]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Richard Brooks, "Wapping editor is closet book-worm", The Observer, 5 June 1987
- ^ a b Stanley Reynolds, "Curtains for a freak show", The Guardian, 21 November 1989
- ^ John Sullivan, "As Soon As This Pub Closes...", What Next?
- ^ "Wendy calling, folks", The Guardian, 2 July 1987
- ^ "Woman who threw milk discharged", The Guardian, 15 April 1972
- ^ Peter Reece, "Brian Whittle", Press Gazette, 16 December 2005
- ^ a b c d e Jean Morgan, "It's a dog's life from now on for newshound Henry", Press Gazette, 25 January 2002
- ^ Roy Greenslade, "A new Britain, a new kind of newspaper", The Guardian, 25 February 2002
- ^ Alan Rusbridger, "Diary", The Guardian, 15 June 1985
- ^ a b c d "Inside Story: The ex-editors' files", The Independent, 9 May 2005
- ^ "Ladies of the press", The Guardian, 16 June 2005
- ^ Nicholas Davis, "The Unknown Maxwell", p.47
- ^ Bill Hagerty, "The future is not Rosie", New Statesman, 11 December 2000
- ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959315,00.html
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2000/may/28/pressandpublishing.business
- ^ a b Phillippa Kennedy, "Henry steps aside from Real Homes for internet project", Press Gazette, 3 August 2001
- ^ "New professor at London journalism training centre", Press Gazette, 30 January 2004
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Montgomery |
Editor of the News of the World 1987–1988 |
Succeeded by Patsy Chapman |
| Preceded by Patsy Chapman |
Deputy Editor of The Sun 1988–1989 |
Succeeded by Martin Dunn |
| Preceded by John Blake |
Editor of the Sunday People 1989 |
Succeeded by Ernie Burrington |
| Preceded by ? |
Editor of The Globe 1990–1993 |
Succeeded by ? |
- Living people
- Alliance for Workers' Liberty people
- Alumni of the University of Manchester
- British women journalists
- English magazine editors
- English newspaper editors
- English television producers
- News of the World people
- Socialist Workers Party (UK) members
- The People people
- The Sun (United Kingdom) people
- Women newspaper editors
- Communist women writers