The former 'Mirror' editor chosen as replacement

If there is anyone who knows what mental anguish Andy Coulson must be going through after resigning from one of the most powerful jobs in journalism, it will be his replacement, Colin Myler.

Like his predecessor, Mr Myler had a fairly rapid rise to the top of his profession before resigning from the Sunday Mirror following a court scandal.

In 2001 Mr Myler resigned after the newspaper caused the collapse of the trial of the Leeds footballers Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate by publishing an interview that was in contempt of court.

The paper had printed an interview with the father of the alleged victim while the jury was considering its verdict, forcing the judge to abort the trial, which had cost an estimated £8m. The paper was fined £75,000

Mr Myler, from Liverpool, began his career at a news agency in Southport and by the age of 22 he was working on Fleet Street. He was a reporter on The Sun before moving to the Daily Mail. He was eventually made news editor on the Sunday People but switched to the Today newspaper when it launched in 1985.

His first stint as the Sunday Mirror editor began late in 1992 when he was brought in to replace Bridget Rowe.

Within months he was at the centre of a row over a decision to print pictures of Diana, Princess of Wales, working out at a London gym. The pictures had been taken by the owner, Bryce Taylor, using a concealed camera. In an out-of-court settlement the newspaper picked up the Princess's legal costs and Mr Taylor paid an estimated £300,000 to a charity of her choice.

A practising Catholic, he is known for his determined manner - when he took over at the Daily Mirror in 1994 staff predicted he had been brought in to "terrify them into submission". He was replaced by Piers Morgan in 1995 after poor sales.

Mr Myler left journalism, but by 1998 he returned to the Sunday Mirror to take the helm for a second time, before the Leeds trial scandal. After the collapse of the trial, Mr Myler left Britain and found employment at the New York Post, rising to executive editor.

News International's executive chairman Les Hinton said: "Colin has an outstanding record as a newspaper executive and we are delighted to welcome him to the helm of the world's largest English-language newspaper."