Derek Jameson
A brash, self-made Fleet Street editor who rose from copy boy to tabloid king, then reinvented himself as a beloved radio personality.
1929–2012 (age 83)·English journalist·Birthday: November 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Derek Jameson's story is a classic Fleet Street fable, written in ink, scandal, and sheer force of personality. Leaving school at 14, he started as a Reuters messenger boy and learned the newspaper trade from the pavement up, through the copy desks of the Daily Mirror and Express. His big break came in the ruthless world of 1970s tabloids, where his instinct for a front-page story and a relentless work ethic saw him installed as editor of the Daily Express, then the Daily Star, which he launched. Jameson edited as he lived—loudly, passionately, and with a common touch that resonated with millions of readers. His abrupt sacking in the '80s led to an unexpected second act: his gravelly, unmistakable Cockney voice became a staple of BBC radio, where he hosted shows and offered blunt, witty commentary. This transformation from feared press baron to national radio uncle cemented his status as a unique media character.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Derek was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Derek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Derek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 70
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 80
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Died at 83
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Rose from a messenger boy to become the editor of three major British national newspapers: the Daily Express, the News of the World, and the Daily Star.
- Was the founding editor of the Daily Star in 1978, building it into a successful tabloid for the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Group.
- Successfully transitioned from print journalism to broadcasting, becoming a popular presenter on BBC Radio 2 and a regular on shows like 'Newsnight' and 'Have I Got News for You'.
- Authored a bestselling autobiography, 'Touched by Angels', which detailed his rags-to-riches career.
Did You Know?
He was famously parodied by actor and comedian Harry Enfield as 'Smashie' of the duo 'Smashie and Nicey'.
His wife, Ellen, was also a well-known journalist and agony aunt for the News of the World.
He was sacked from his editor role at the Daily Express by owner Victor Matthews over a phone call while on holiday.
Jameson once said his broadcasting career began because a BBC producer thought his voice was perfect for radio.
“I've been fired from more newspapers than most people have read.”
