View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
April 2, 2013

Nottingham Post editor Mel Cook dies of cancer aged 51

By William Turvill

Nottingham Post editor Mel Cook has died at the age of 51, the newspaper has announced.

Cook, died after a “brave battle with cancer”, having edited the newspaper since May last year. Previously he had been editor of the Scunthorpe Telegraph for four years.

According to the paper, he was diagnosed with cancer last autumn but continued to work during his treatment.

The Post said Cook had overseen its move from its old offices at Castle Wharf into a new city centre base, City Gate, while transformations took place to improve the paper and its website.

Steve Hollingsworth, publisher of the Nottingham Post, said: "Mel was one of life’s good guys – funny, friendly, hard-working, compassionate and a great editor.

"Even through his fight with this most cruel of illnesses Mel remained positive and pragmatic.

"He was a true friend and will be missed by all who knew him.

Content from our partners
AI challenge asks journalists to pitch for help to solve industry challenges
Newsrooms 2.0: Why WordPress is taking over the industry
Handelsblatt's key strategy for unifying print and digital operations

"The thoughts of everyone at the Post are with Helen, Ellie, Luke and the rest of his family at this tragic time."

Through his 30-year career Cook had also worked at the Hull Daily Mail, the Derby Telegraph and the South Wales Echo.

Former Hull Daily Mail Editor John Meehan, who worked with Mel for 13 years in Hull and Scunthorpe paid tribute to Cook this afternoon.

He said: "Mel was a consummate professional and an enormously capable all-round journalist. He had great news sense and terrific production skills. He could spot a great story and knew how to project it to best effect.

"He also achieved the rare combination of commanding the respect of his colleagues and being universally popular.

"He made things tick at the Hull Daily Mail, then went on to be a big success as Editor of the Sunthorpe Telegraph.

"Mel's death in his prime is terribly, terribly sad. He had begun to make his mark at the Nottingham Post and would have had a huge impact there. His passing is a great loss to regional journalism, the Nottingham Post and the community it serves."

More former colleagues and acquaintances paid their respects to Cook on Twitter:

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly dose of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network