Daily Telegraph editor Tony Gallagher steps down in shock departure

Daily Telegraph editor Tony Gallagher has left his job in a shock departure after nearly five years in the role.

Staff had no warning of his exit which came months after Jason Seiken joined from US broadcaster PBS in a more senior role as editor-in-chief and chief content officer.

Telegraph Media Group said Mr Gallagher “is leaving the company as the business moves to the next phase of its digital transformation”.

Ben Bryant, a Telegraph journalist, tweeted: “Newsroom in shock. Some in tears.”

Chief executive Murdoch MacLennan praised Mr Gallagher for doing an “excellent job” and credited him for playing a key role when the Telegraph exposed MPs’ expenses in 2009.

News supremo Chris Evans will be acting print editor of the Monday-to-Friday edition of the paper. Ian MacGregor, editor of the Sunday Telegraph, will be acting weekend print editor of the Saturday and Sunday editions.

The owner of The Guardian today collected a £600 million-plus windfall from selling its stake in Auto Trader to private equity firm Apax Partners.