# Robin Esser > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robin_Esser > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robin_Esser.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Esser > Source revision: 1292188838 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British newspaper executive (1933–2017) **Robin Charles Esser** (6 May 1933 – 6 November 2017)[1] was a [British](/source/British_people) [newspaper executive](/source/Newspaper_executive) and former [editor](/source/Newspaper_editor). After doing [National Service](/source/National_Service) and studying at [Wadham College](/source/Wadham_College), [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University), where he edited the *[Cherwell](/source/Cherwell_newspaper)* newspaper, Esser began his career as a reporter with the *[Daily Express](/source/Daily_Express)* and *[Daily Sketch](/source/Daily_Sketch)* in 1957.[2] He edited the Express' "Hickey" column, and gave both [Nigel Dempster](/source/Nigel_Dempster) and [Paul Dacre](/source/Paul_Dacre) their first jobs on a national newspaper. By 1969, he was the newspaper's [New York](/source/New_York_City) editor, and was the first British journalist to interview the [Apollo 11](/source/Apollo_11) astronauts.[3] He later became consultant editor of the *[London Evening News](/source/London_Evening_News)*, before in 1985 returning to the *Daily Express*. In 1986, he became editor of the *[Sunday Express](/source/Sunday_Express)*,[4] a post he held until 1989. A great supporter and friend of [Margaret Thatcher](/source/Margaret_Thatcher), Esser was due to receive a [knighthood](/source/Knighthood) in 1990 but declined the honour on the grounds that it was not appropriate for a serving editor to accept it.[5] Esser moved to the *[Daily Mail](/source/Daily_Mail)* in 1991, where he introduced an arts and entertainment supplement, published on Fridays. He subsequently became the paper's Executive Managing Editor and oversaw the launch of its website MailOnline.[4] He was an active member of the Society of Editors, for which he chaired the Parliamentary & Legal Committee,[6] and the [Commonwealth Press Union Media Trust](/source/Commonwealth_Press_Union). Esser published three books, *The Hot Potato* (1969), *The Paper Chase* (1971), and *Crusaders In Chains* (2015).[7] ## Personal life He was married to Shirley Clough and had 4 children with her. After an accident in 1972 while on holiday Shirley died and Robin was left a widower. He Met Tui France his second wife and remarried in 1981 and went on to have 2 more children with her. He died a father of 6, a grandfather of 10 and a great grandfather of 4.[8][*[full citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources#What_information_to_include)*] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Robin Esser, newspaper executive – obituary"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/11/09/robin-esser-newspaper-executive-obituary/). *The Telegraph*. 9 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Robin Esser Obituary, Telegraph Court and Social"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/11/09/robin-esser-newspaper-executive-obituary/). *The Telegraph*. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Robin Esser, Express Newspapers"](https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/876848/Robin-Esser-Sunday-Express-editor-press-freedom-campaigner-dies-aged-84). *Express.co.uk*. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-no_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-no_4-1) "[Robin Esser: No plans to retire as he marks 50 years in press](http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=39797§ioncode=6)", *[Press Gazette](/source/Press_Gazette)*, 27 December 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Robin Esser Obituary, Times Register"](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/robin-esser-obituary-s92jcvzrq). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Retrieved 29 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Society of Editors, Fighting for media freedom"](http://www.societyofeditors.co.uk/page-view.php?pagename=RobinEsser). *Societyofeditors.co.uk*. Retrieved 20 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Alumni News, Wadham College"](https://www.wadham.ox.ac.uk/news/2015/june/wadham-journalist-speaks-out). *Wadham.ox.ac.uk*. Retrieved 29 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Who's Who 2017](/source/Who's_Who_2017) - [Burke's Peerage](/source/Burke's_Peerage) - [Who's Who 2009](/source/Who's_Who_2009) Media offices Preceded by John Junor Editor of the Sunday Express 1986–1989 Succeeded by Robin Morgan v t e Express newspapers Daily Express editors 1900: Arthur Pearson 1901: Fletcher Robinson 1909: R. D. Blumenfeld 1929: Beverley Baxter 1933: Arthur Christiansen 1957: Edward Pickering 1961: Bob Edwards 1962: Roger Wood 1963: Bob Edwards 1965: Derek Marks 1971: Ian McColl 1974: Alastair Burnet 1976: Roy Wright 1977: Derek Jameson 1980: Arthur Firth 1981: Christopher Ward 1983: Larry Lamb 1986: Nicholas Lloyd 1995: Richard Addis 1998: Rosie Boycott 2001: Chris Williams 2003: Peter Hill 2011: Hugh Whittow 2018: Gary Jones Sunday Express editors 1920: James Douglas 1928: James Douglas and John Gordon 1931: John Gordon 1952: Harold Keeble 1954: John Junor 1986: Robin Esser 1989: Robin Morgan 1991: Eve Pollard 1994: Brian Hitchen 1995: Sue Douglas 1996: Richard Addis 1998: Amanda Platell 1999: Michael Pilgrim 2001: Martin Townsend 2018: Michael Booker Other topics Daily Express Building, London Daily Express Building, Manchester James Bond comic strip Northern & Shell Richard Desmond Rupert Bear Sunday Express Dunblane controversy The Sunday Express Book of the Year --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robin Esser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Esser) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Esser?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.