Chris Roycroft-Davis
Encyclopedia
Chris Roycroft-Davis is a journalist working in the United Kingdom
. He was chief leader writer of The Sun
, Britain’s biggest-selling morning newspaper.
, Bedfordshire
and educated at Stratton Grammar School
. His father was a journalist for more than 40 years and Chris left school at the age of 16 to become a junior reporter on the Bedfordshire Times.
as a sports sub-editor on The People
and a news-sub-editor on the recently-launched Sun.
In 1972 he moved to Manchester
to work as a sub-editor on the Daily Express
, and quickly became deputy chief sub-editor and then Assistant Editor
. Roycroft-Davis returned to The Sun in London
in 1985 as Deputy Night Editor, then became Night Editor and Assistant Editor under the editorships of Kelvin Mackenzie
, Stuart Higgins
, David Yelland and Rebekah Wade
.
Roycroft-Davis briefly left The Sun in 1989 when Sky Television
was launched by The Suns parent company, and he worked under Rupert Murdoch
for almost two years in charge of promoting the new network in Press, TV and radio commercials.
In 1994 he became chief leader writer
of The Sun, writing the paper's editorial column The Sun Says six days a week. Roycroft-Davis left The Sun in 2005 to become a professional speaker, media coach, writer and broadcaster.
He worked as a speech and article writer for David Cameron
and currently writes political commentaries for the Daily Express and contributes to the comment pages of The Times
. He broadcasts regularly on Michael Parkinson
's Sunday show on BBC Radio 2
. His book, How to be King of the Media Jungle, was published in October 2007.
During Chris's long and very successful career, he has had many great honours bestowed upon him. to name but a few; Chris has been sued by her majesty the queen on numerous occasions although no one quite knows why. He co-owned sky and he is one of the few people in a prestigious enough position to be on first name terms with several past prime ministers. Furthermore he famously received a right hook to the face by the great Piers Morgan.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He was chief leader writer of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
, Britain’s biggest-selling morning newspaper.
Early life
Roycroft-Davis was born in BiggleswadeBiggleswade
Biggleswade is a market town and civil parish located on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. It is well served by transport routes, being close to the A1 road between London and the North, as well as having a railway station on the main rail link North from London .-Geography:Located about 40...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
and educated at Stratton Grammar School
Stratton Upper School
Stratton Upper School and Community College is a notable upper school located in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of the town...
. His father was a journalist for more than 40 years and Chris left school at the age of 16 to become a junior reporter on the Bedfordshire Times.
Career
He moved to the Luton Evening Post as a sub-editor in 1969 and in 1970 began casual work in Fleet StreetFleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
as a sports sub-editor on The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
and a news-sub-editor on the recently-launched Sun.
In 1972 he moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to work as a sub-editor on the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, and quickly became deputy chief sub-editor and then Assistant Editor
Managing editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
. Roycroft-Davis returned to The Sun in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1985 as Deputy Night Editor, then became Night Editor and Assistant Editor under the editorships of Kelvin Mackenzie
Kelvin MacKenzie
Kelvin Calder MacKenzie is an English media executive and former newspaper editor. He is best known for being editor of The Sun newspaper between 1981 and 1994, an era in which the paper was established as Britain's best selling newspaper.- Biography :MacKenzie was educated at Alleyn's School...
, Stuart Higgins
Stuart Higgins
Stuart Higgins is a British public relations consultant and former newspaper editor.Higgins began his career as a reporter for a news agency, then began working for The Sun in 1979. He soon became the newspaper's Royal Correspondent, during which time he tested security at Highgrove House...
, David Yelland and Rebekah Wade
Rebekah Wade
Rebekah Mary Brooks is a British journalist and former newspaper editor. She was chief executive of News International , having previously served as the youngest editor of a British national newspaper as editor of the News of the World and the first female editor of The Sun...
.
Roycroft-Davis briefly left The Sun in 1989 when Sky Television
Sky Television plc
Sky Television plc was a public limited company which operated its four-channel satellite television service, launched by Rupert Murdoch's News International on 5 February 1989...
was launched by The Suns parent company, and he worked under Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
for almost two years in charge of promoting the new network in Press, TV and radio commercials.
In 1994 he became chief leader writer
Leader writer
A Leader Writer is a senior journalist in a British newspaper who is charged with writing the paper's editorial either in the absence of the editor or in cases where the editor chooses not to write editorials because their editorial skills may rest more in management of the company than in writing...
of The Sun, writing the paper's editorial column The Sun Says six days a week. Roycroft-Davis left The Sun in 2005 to become a professional speaker, media coach, writer and broadcaster.
He worked as a speech and article writer for David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
and currently writes political commentaries for the Daily Express and contributes to the comment pages of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. He broadcasts regularly on Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
's Sunday show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. His book, How to be King of the Media Jungle, was published in October 2007.
During Chris's long and very successful career, he has had many great honours bestowed upon him. to name but a few; Chris has been sued by her majesty the queen on numerous occasions although no one quite knows why. He co-owned sky and he is one of the few people in a prestigious enough position to be on first name terms with several past prime ministers. Furthermore he famously received a right hook to the face by the great Piers Morgan.