Man of the 'People' gets new role at 'News of the World'

Neil Wallis is leaving as editor of The People, to become deputy editor of the News of the World. Andy Coulson, the new editor of the NoW, who recruited Mr Wallis, said he was "one of the finest newspapermen in the business".

Mr Wallis's five-year tenure at The People has been punctuated by several disputes with celebrities as well as a notable courtroom victory which allowed his paper to name a philandering footballer.

Mark Haysom, of Mirror Group Newspapers, said: "Neil is a great editor and we are very sorry to see him leave the company. We wish him all the best in his new role."

The move is a return to familiar territory for Mr Wallis. He spent 12 years at News International, in senior positions at The Sun, joining The People in 1998. Despite the diminution of title, the move was obviously tempting at a time when The People has been dented by competition from the new Daily Star Sunday. The audited circulation figure for The People was down last month by 13 per cent on the previous December, despite a £2m revamp during the summer.

The Radio 1 DJ Sara Cox is still pursuing a case for damages for invasion of privacy after The People published nude photographs taken during her honeymoon. In August last year, the newspaper had to apologise to the comedian Frank Skinner after claiming he had had Botox injections.

But Mr Wallis, editor for five years, claimed an "historic victory" for press freedom when the Court of Appeal decided the paper could name Garry Flitcroft as the footballer involved in claims of extra-marital affairs.

Mr Coulson was appointed to the News of the World job after Rebekah Wade was made editor of The Sun, the first woman to hold the position.