X-Nico

13 unusual facts about News of the World


2013 in England

10 January – April Casburn, a senior detective with the Metropolitan Police is found guilty of trying to sell information on the investigation into phone hacking to the News of the World, the newspaper at the centre of the scandal.

Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder

However, these views were not shared by the News of the World, which described the show as "just not that funny" and the characters as "a collection of Little Britain cast-offs...or Harry Enfield tributes".

Allan Roberts

In November 1984, he won a libel action against the News of the World which had linked him to gay sex offences in Liverpool.

The News of the World and Private Eye magazine revealed in 1981 that Roberts had been injured, requiring hospital treatment, in a sadomasochistic gay sex club in Berlin during a Parliamentary visit at Easter 1980.

Anthony Hutton

Makosi sold her story to the News of the World and claimed she did have sex with Anthony. The same day the story went on sale, both contestants appeared on the BBLB Reunion show. During his interview, incensed at Makosi stating she could prove it whilst Anthony was being interviewed, Anthony shouted over to her "You know you can't, you're an absolute liar!" and had to be told to calm down by the show's presenter, Dermot O'Leary.

Bouverie Street

The News of the World had its offices at No. 30 until the paper's closure in 2011; its sister paper The Sun is still based there.

Cannock Chase

This occurred in March 2004 when the ex-England footballer Stan Collymore was revealed in a News of the World investigation, to have regularly engaged in the activity at a car park near Anson's Bank.

Ireland's Own

The magazine was designed to offer "wholesome Irish Catholic fare" to challenge the appearance of British newspapers in Ireland like the News of the World (which were denounced as "scandal-sheets" that lowered the moral tone of late 19th century/early 20th century Ireland.

Jimmi Harkishin

In 2004, he was forced to take a break from Coronation Street after photographs appeared in the News of the World of him apparently taking drugs.

Matt Nixson

He worked as Features Editor for The News of the World (Jan 2005 - Dec 2010) before being promoted to Head of Features on The Sun (Jan 2011 - July 2011).

News of the World Championship

One of the leading post-war professional tournaments, the event was sponsored by the Sunday newspaper News of the World and carried a £1,500 prize money.

Phone hacking

The term came to prominence during the News International phone hacking scandal, in which it was alleged (and in some cases proved in court) that the British tabloid newspaper the News of the World had been involved in the interception of voicemail messages of the British Royal Family, other public figures, and the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Tea tape scandal

John Key and the National Party said that it appeared that the Herald had deliberately recorded the conversation, and described it as "News of the World-style tactics", however journalists argued that that the recording was in the public interest and should therefore be released.


2005 UK Open

A 67 year old Italian waiter from Lewisham called Sergio Bongiovanni appeared on TV many years before as a competitor in News Of The World tournament.

Jasmine Sinclair

She has been featured in a large number of publications including The Sun, News of the World and The Daily Sport newspapers, Playboy magazine, Toni and Guy Magazine, Loaded Magazine, Nuts Magazine, Zoo Magazine, Ann Summers Catalogue, REVS Magazine and Maxpower Magazine.

John Whittingdale

He was accused of warning members of the committee not to compel former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks to testify due to the risk that their personal lives would be investigated in revenge, but has strongly denied the accusation.

Katie Amess

She has appeared in a host of TV commercials including Nintendo, Just Dance 3 & 4, Wen Haircare, Premier Inn and News of the World.

Paul Foot Award

:Nick Davies (Guardian) on phone-hacking conducted by the News of the World when Andy Coulson, later the government's director of communications, was editor.

Sara Payne

On 28 July 2011 it was reported that Sara Payne's mobile phone was one of those targeted by the News of the World as part of the News International phone hacking scandal.

Sean Hoare

against News of the World and Andy Coulson, following a New York Times Magazine piece published that month in which Hoare told reporters Don Van Natta, Jo Becker and Graham Bowley that Coulson had "actively encouraged" him to hack phones.

Simon Hoggart

When speculation appeared in the News of the World in December 2004 suggesting he was the "third man" in the Kimberly Quinn affair, Hoggart initially denied any involvement before issuing a statement admitting that he had an extra-marital affair with Quinn before her own marriage.

South London Press

Paul McCarthy, sports editor of the News of the World, John Pienaar, political correspondent and reporter on BBC Radio 5 Live and David Bond, who was appointed as the BBC's Sports Editor in 2010, worked at the SLP in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Insider: The Private Diaries of a Scandalous Decade

An entry detailing the method alleged to have used by journalists at News of the World to hack into the phones of unsuspecting victims was quoted by the MP Louise Mensch during the questioning of Rupert and James Murdoch by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in 2011.