Paul Dacre is set to return to the Daily Mail’s parent company as editor-in-chief, it has been announced.
The 73-year-old stepped down as editor of the right-of-centre newspaper in 2018 after 26 years in the role.
He became chairman and editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers but is reported to have left the company earlier this month.
Lord Rothermere, chairman of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), said on Monday that Dacre had now been appointed editor-in-chief of DMG Media – the trust’s media arm.
Ofcom chairman
It comes shortly after Mr Dacre withdrew from the race to become the next chairman of media watchdog Ofcom.
In an email to staff, Lord Rothermere wrote: “I am delighted to announce that Paul Dacre, who has a huge and distinguished history with this company, is being appointed Editor-in-Chief of dmg media.
“Although he will not be involved in day-to-day editing, he will be taking an active role advising me and the editors.”
Mr Dacre last week announced in a strongly worded letter to The Times that he was withdrawing from the race to become Ofcom chairman.
He described his experience as an “infelicitous dalliance with the Blob” and claimed the civil service had influenced the selection process because of his right-of-centre “convictions”.
Boris Johnson
The Government previously decided to rerun the process after an initial round of interviews failed to find a new chair.
Mr Dacre was reportedly Boris Johnson’s preferred choice during the initial rounds.
Last week also saw Lord Rothermere announce that Mail On Sunday editor Ted Verity will replace Geordie Greig at the helm of the Daily Mail.
Mr Verity will take over as editor of Mail Newspapers, which includes overall responsibility of the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday.
He has been editor of the Mail on Sunday for the past three years while Greig was editor of The Mail On Sunday for the previous seven years and has spent the past three as editor of the Daily Mail.
Chairman and largest shareholder Lord Rothermere is in the process of taking DMGT private.
Related: MPs vote through social care reforms – but government majority gets slashed