June 9, 2014

Sam Taylor leaves The Oldie after 17 years following Richard Ingrams departure

Another regular Oldie columnist has left the magazine following the departure of Richard Ingrams as editor.

Last week, Sir Terry Wogan, who hosted the magazine’s annual awards lunch, and Panorama reporter John Sweeney announced they were ending their association with the title.

And now Sam Taylor, who has written The Oldie’s East of Islington column for 17 years, has said she is leaving as well.

She wrote in an email to colleagues this afternoon: “Despite the helpful hair-tinting tips from Fungus Friend, the time has come for me to give up trying to look like Jane Bown’s flattering byline portrait from the last century and leave East of Islington in search of a place where things never change. If I find it I’ll write and let you know.

“In the meantime, bye-bye little Oldie family, I will miss you, but to paraphrase that great philosopher Billy Joel, ‘I loved you just the way you were’.”

Speaking to Press Gazette she confirmed the departure of Ingrams was behind her decision. Taylor said: “I suppose ultimately I’m leaving because it’s no longer the same… But I do wish the magazine well.”

Ingrams left after being called to a disciplinary hearing brought by publisher James Pembroke. He refused to go, instead handing in his resignation, but last week said he was willing to return under the right conditions.

In Taylor's East of Islington column, the character Poshy is based on Pembroke.