Phil Hilton
Emap has appointed award-winning men’s magazines editor Phil Hilton to be editor-in-chief of health and fitness title FHM Bionic, which is due to go monthly this September.
Hilton was previously managing editor of Men’s Health and prior to that deputy and features editor of FHM. He was the launch editor of IPC’s Later, for which he won the 1999 BSME Launch of the Year award. Later closed last month because of dwindling sales, blamed by IPC on the fact that older men do not want a mainstream title.
James Carter, FHM publishing director, said: "I have known Phil since he was deputy editor on FHM and I always respected his talents. He brings us a great deal of experience and knowledge of marketing magazines to older men, as well as a broader point of view that made Later successful originally. From a publishing perspective Later got dragged too much into the mainstream.
"The interest in personal health and well-being escalates as men get older and, while FHM is for 25-year-olds, we want this magazine to appeal to 29-year-olds."
He added: "We want to compete for readers from other men’s lifestyle magazines as well as in the fitness market. We’ll be happy picking up GQ and Esquire readers"
Hilton told Press Gazette: "I had a number of options but this was definitely the best and most exciting.
I love what the magazine does and I am keen to get started and put a new spin on it."
FHM Bionic was launched as a biannual spin-off from FHM three years ago. Its most recent ABC figure, for July to December 2000, was 94,033.
By Mary Stevens
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
