James Desborough (journalist)
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James Desborough is a show business writer, media commentator and PR consultant who works in Los Angeles, New York and London.
As a correspondent he has interviewed celebrities from the worlds of sports, politics and entertainment. James has appeared on major TV networks, print publications and online websites worldwide.
He was named the Show business Reporter Of The Year at the 2009 British Press Awards.[1][2][3] In 2014 he won two awards at the Southern California Journalism Awards - Online Personality Profile Article and Online Entertainment Feature. He also collected the runner up prize for the Online Entertainment News Category. In 2013, he was nominated as Entertainment Journalist Of The Year at the 55th So Cal Journalism Awards[4] and was runner-up in the international news report category at the 55th SoCal Journalism Awards.[5]
Desborough started work at the regional newspaper the Barking & Dagenham Post as a news reporter in 1994. The newspaper's past reporters include editor Phil Hall, who later became the editor of News of the World.
Desborough worked as a freelancer diary reporter on the London showbiz and social scene from 1999 to 2000. In 2000, Desborough was hired by World Entertainment News Network (WENN) as the News Editor in London by CEO Jonathan Ashby. During that time he worked alongside former Sun reporter and author Bill Coles.
Desborough was hired by The People newspaper in summer of 2001 replacing their existing show business reporter Sean Hoare, who left to join The News Of The World. In the final weeks at WENN, allegations published by Salon.com claimed that he and his team fabricated a quote by Sir George Martin relating to the health of George Harrison.[6] WENN sold the story to The Mail On Sunday claiming that Martin said Harrison was close to death. The interview was conducted by WENN reporter Christian Koch. , but the story appeared under the byline of Katie Nicholl in The Mail On Sunday on 22 July with the headline: "George Harrison Is Close to Death Says '5th Beatle' Martin". Afterwards Martin denied giving the quotes, but in the next few months many more media outlets reported Harrison's condition was worsening.[7] It was afterwards revealed that Harrison and wife Olivia had tried to keep details of the illness a secret. Later Olivia admitted, in a book and Martin Scorsese documentary about George Harrison's life – both titled George Harrison: Living in the Material World – that her husband had spent the summer months of 2001 preparing for his death. He spent time at a hospice and his last summer in Fuji. Time magazine revealed how: "Harrison eventually surrendered to throat and lung cancer. He and Olivia spent a last lovely summer in Fiji, preparing for the end and taking stock of their life together."[8][9] Harrison died four months after the Mail On Sunday article on 29 November 2001.[10]
Publications
Sunday People
In 2001, Desborough joined the Sunday People as a show business reporter. He left in 2005.
In 2004, Desborough was promoted to the role of TV Editor. He covered a series of reality shows, primetime series and soaps for the newspaper including Big Brother, Wife Swap, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Pop Idol and Celebrity Love Island.
News Of The World
Desborough interviewed Mills' former manager Michele Elyzabeth, who delivered a two-week exposé on Mills' conduct toward McCartney and her secret ploys to tarnish the rock star's reputation with the public. Elyzabeth told Desborough that Mills was "a lying witch", who misled the public over McCartney's financial donations to her and daughter Bea during their separation.[11]
Desborough did an interview with Amy Winehouse's former boyfriend, Alex Haines, in 2008, detailing her addictions to crack and marijuana. Haines admitted that Winehouse planned to join "The 27 Club" – the list of famous musicians who died at the age of 27. Winehouse died at the age of 27 in July 2011.[12]
In March 2009, Desborough was awarded The Showbiz Reporter of The Year Award at the British Press Awards. He was presented the award by Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow at the ceremony held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.[13]