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Former tabloid hack comes to film and tell
A former Daily Star reporter who turned the tables on his tabloid bosses and revealed all at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics is to speak about his experiences in Bristol on Friday.
Richard Peppiatt worked as a full-time freelance journalist at the newspaper for two years and spoke about some of the disreputable tactics he witnessed at the inquiry.
Not satisfied with that, he has now gone on to produce a film in which tabloid editors are ridiculed and embarrassed.
Press reform campaigner Hugh Grant said One Rogue Reporter exposed the “hypocrisy” of some newspapers in claiming to champion freedom of speech.
In the hour-long documentary, Peppiatt arrives on the doorstep of the editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, Paul Dacre, to confront him at his London home with a sex toy. He subjects the Mail Online editor Martin Clarke to a paparazzi-style hosing down as he returns from the shops, snapping a picture of his exposed belly button. And he ambushes Hugh Whittow, editor of the Daily Express, while he is out walking his dog, by plastering his car with front-page Express stories about Madeleine McCann.
The story has gained even more relevance by reports from the trial of Chris Pharo, the former head of news at The Sun. He is on trial for an alleged conspiracy to pay public officials for stories, and has revealed this week about the bullying, intimidatory culture he experienced from the likes of former editor Rebekah Brooks and others.
Peppiatt will present the film and then speak at the annual Benn Lecture organised by the Bristol branch of the National Union of Journalists on Friday.
The event starts at 7.30pm at The Cube Microplex on Dove Street South. Tickets are £7 on the night, £5 concessions and NUJ members, cash only. Find out more in our what’s on section here…
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