Alastair Campbell recruited by GQ to write celebrity interviews

Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell is to join GQ as a regular interviewer.

Campbell follows in the footsteps of Piers Morgan in a role which will see him carry out "heavy-hitting interviews covering the worlds of politics, sport, business and media".

Editor Dylan Jones said: "I’m thrilled that Alastair is joining us. A brilliant, opinionated and compelling writer who has the ability to get straight to the heart of what matters, we’re delighted readers of the magazine will be able to enjoy his insightful and entertaining prose."

Campbell said: "To be frank, I did not think I was well dressed enough, or cool enough, ever to get approached by GQ, so I was quite surprised when Dylan Jones asked me to do this. But I like the fact that GQ has a tradition of giving a lot of space to big interviews, and to letting the interviewee get their voice heard, so after making a few stipulations – like never describing me, verbally or in print, as Piers Morgan's successor – I said yes.

"When I was a full-time journalist, I always enjoyed big interviews and I am pleased GQ want me not just to do politics, but figures from sport, business, culture, other aspects of life that I find interesting. I also hope I can bring a bit of lefty influence to the magazine. There is something not quite right about having an editor who slopes off to write sympathetic books about David Cameron, and makes Benedict Cumberbatch the GQ man of the year. GQ should be the magazine for state schools, not Eton and Harrow. More anon.”

GQ had an average monthly circulation of 117,778 in the first six months of last of year, of which around 100,000 were paid-for sales. This compared with total circluation of 120,141 in the same period a year earlier.