Ron Cox will be tipping his last Ascot winners for the Guardian this week, as he and another long-serving sports desk staffer, Chris Cheers, are leaving the paper as part of the latest round of cuts at Guardian News Media.
Cox and sports sub Cheers, who has already left, have both worked at the Guardian for more than 25 years. Cox has regularly been among the country’s top racing tipsters.
These latest departures from Kings Cross are in addition to several senior figures announced by the newspaper’s website today, as at least 50 editorial jobs are cut across the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk towards editorial savings of £10 million by the end of 2009.
The publisher’s commercial departments are also cutting 82 jobs, out of about 840 staff, as part of a plan to save a further £10 million.
Among other journalists leaving are long-serving reporters Duncan Campbell and Westminster correspondent David Hencke.
Campbell – the long-time partner of Oscar-winning actress Julie Christie – has worked at the newspaper since 1987, during which time he has been its Los Angeles and crime correspondent.
Hencke, who has been with the paper for 33 years, was the reporter who broke the “cash for questions” story which brought down Conservative MP Neil Hamilton, and his scoop of the year in 1998 led to Peter Mandelson’s first resignation from government over the secret £373,000 home loan.
Also going are senior reporter Audrey Gillan, personal finance writer Tony Levene, work section editor Ian Wylie, investigative reporter David Pallister and TV critic Gareth McLean.
Click here for more recent articles on journalism, sport and sports journalism
SJA MEMBERS: Make sure your profile details are up to date in the 2010 SJA Yearbook by clicking here