Controversial British journalist Rod Liddle dies aged 66

Rod Liddle, a prominent British journalist and broadcaster, has died at the age of 66 following a brief illness. Liddle was a well-known figure in the UK media landscape, contributing high-profile columns to The Sunday Times and The Sun, and maintaining a weekly presence in The Spectator. He also hosted a show on Times Radio.

Liddle's career was marked by a distinctive and often controversial style. He was known for his sharp wit and provocative commentary, which frequently sparked debate. Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News UK, described him as an "inimitable journalistic force, brilliant, provocative and immensely talented."

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Everyone at News UK is deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Rod Liddle. Rod was an inimitable journalistic force, brilliant, provocative and immensely talented, whose sharp wit and uncompromising voice graced our pages and airwaves for decades.

During his tenure as editor of BBC Radio 4's flagship Today programme, Liddle hired Andrew Gilligan, the journalist whose 2003 report claimed the UK government had "sexed up" its Iraq dossier. Liddle himself left the BBC before the report aired and later became a vocal critic of the Hutton inquiry into the death of weapons expert David Kelly. He was also the first journalist to have an online blog censured by the UK press watchdog.

Liddle frequently courted controversy. In 2010, a complaint was upheld by the Press Complaints Commission regarding a column where he claimed the "overwhelming majority" of violent crime in London was committed by young Afro-Caribbean men. He also faced criticism for columns that sparked accusations of misogyny and racism, and his magazine was prosecuted for breaching a court order related to an article about the trial of Stephen Lawrence's killers. His personal life also drew media attention, including his separation from a long-term partner for a younger mistress.

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Rod was wonderful to work with. We argued like hell – I can’t remember how many times he sacked me or I resigned in anger.