Richard Kay to step down as Daily Mail's gossip columnist

Richard Kay, the Daily Mail's gossip columnist for the past 10 years, is to step down from his column.

He has been promised a new role by the paper's editor, Paul Dacre, but it is uncertain when this will occur and what it will involve.

The hot tip to take his place is Sebastian Shakespeare, who has resigned from the London Evening Standard, where he ran the Londoner's Diary for the best part of 20 years.

Kay, who is 56, succeeded Nigel Dempster in October 2003. He has worked at the Mail since 1980, starting off as a reporter in its Manchester office. He rose to prominence as the Mail's royal correspondent, famously befriending Princess Diana.

It is fair to say that Kay is the best-liked gossip columnist in newspaper history. Unlike Dempster, who seemed to revel in feuds with people, Kay is regarded as one of the nicest journalists around.

Shakespeare, however, has tended to emulate Dempster, having engaged in lengthy feuds with the likes of Lord Archer and the novelist Ian McEwan.

In 2008, he suffered the indignity of having animal manure thrown over him by a man who felt upset about a diary item. It later transpired that Shakespeare was on holiday when the offending piece appeared.

The Standard's editor, Sarah Sands, has been swift to replace Shakespeare. Joy Lodico is to edit Londoner’s Diary.