14 Facts About Derek Jameson

Derek Jameson was an English tabloid journalist and broadcaster.

The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History states that Derek Jameson had "one Jewish parent"; whether this refers to his mother or the man he assumed was his father is unspecified.

Derek Jameson was appointed editor of the Daily Express the following year by its new proprietor, Victor Matthews, with whom he initially had a good rapport; the two men had a similar start in life.

Derek Jameson was involved in the publicity at the time of the launch, and it was aimed at the lowest end of the market, even below The Sun.

Derek Jameson was quoted in one newspaper as commenting that the new paper would be "tits, bums, QPR and roll your own fags", but while under oath several years later during his libel case, he insisted that this had been invented by the reporter.

Matthews refused to return him full-time to the Daily Express, and Derek Jameson was himself then editing the Daily Star in Manchester.

Derek Jameson became editor of the News of the World in 1981.

In 1980 the BBC broadcast a sketch in the Radio 4 programme Week Ending which described him as an "East End boy made bad" and that Derek Jameson was "so ignorant he thought erudite was a type of glue".

Derek Jameson sued the BBC for libel, but lost the action when it came to court in February 1984.

Derek Jameson joined BBC Radio 2 in late 1985, sitting in for Jimmy Young, before taking over the breakfast show from Ken Bruce on 7 April 1986, presenting it until 20 December 1991 and greeting listeners with the refrain "morning, morning, Jameson here".

Derek Jameson then hosted the Monday to Thursday late-night show between 22:30 and midnight along with his wife Ellen, which was called The Jamesons from January 1992 until April 1997.

Derek Jameson was replaced in the second series by Chris Serle, Jeni Barnett and Frank Bruno.

In 1947, Derek Jameson married Jackie, whom he had met during his Communist Party membership; she divorced him in the 1960s.

Derek Jameson had three sons and a daughter from his first two marriages.