The Feral Beast: Shoots, eats and leaves

For all his modernising, Will Lewis is a true Daily Telegraph man. The ex-editor has, I can reveal, taken up shooting, following his predecessors Charles Moore and Max Hastings. Lewis was recently a guest of PR honcho Matthew Freud on a shooting weekend at Guy Ritchie's Dorset estate, Ashcombe House, named among The Field's top 10 shoots and where Madonna, above, is known to have pulled a trigger or two. No word as to how many birds he bagged, but we're sure Lewis scored highly in the other exacting part of the day – the convivial lunch.

Wendy buries the hatchet job

Hearty reviews for Avatar, James Cameron's new 3D film, from The Sun and The Times. "It's out Av this world," screamed The Sun, while The Times gave it four stars. But what does The Times's Wendy Ide actually say? "It verges on the tacky, like a futuristic air-freshener advertisement with the colour contrast turned up to the max." Avatar was made by Fox, proprietor: one R Murdoch. Let's hope Rupey doesn't read too closely, Wendy!

You read it her first ...

Proof of this column's prowess. Two weeks ago I wrote that Andrew Pierce was open to offers from other papers. The next day he got a call from Paul Dacre himself. After a one-on-one meeting, the deal was sealed and the Daily Mail has appointed its first openly gay executive. His defection has, I'm told, gone down like a cup of cold sick at the Telegraph, where he has a long notice period. Pierce is down to edit the paper soon, but surely they'll wave him off early?

Barking up the wrong 'Vogue' tree

Much desk-shuffling at Vogue House, where leaner times has brought the online team back to the building. One mischief-maker tells me the opportunity is being taken for a flea fumigation. Condé Nast is well-known as the most dog-friendly office in London, often ankle-deep in pugs, right. Apparently this has taken its toll. But a spokeswoman rubbishes the rumour: "That is very funny, but it just isn't true," she laughs. "There are no fleas. Apart from anything, we have a wood floor." Naturellement!

'Lobster' served online

Good news for conspiracy theorists – Lobster has gone online. The black-and-white monthly has stirred up intrigue ever since its launch in 1983 by Robin Ramsay. Now, the print version has gone in favour of lobster-magazine.co.uk. "It always broke even, as I would put the price up if it started losing money," he says, "The readers paid whatever I asked." Sounds a fine business model.

All change at 'The Observer'

Musical chairs at The Observer as three of its mags get the chop. Tim Lewis, editor of Sport Monthly, is to edit the new Observer Magazine, replacing Alan Jenkins, who takes over Food Monthly, the only monthly to survive. And music editor Caspar Llewellyn Smith joins a team of "senior" editors, along with Ursula Kenny (formerly dep ed on the Obs Magazine).