John Bryant (journalist)
John Bryant | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 April 1944 Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset, England |
| Died | 30 April 2020 (aged 76) Surrey, England |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, editor, marathon runner |
| Years active | 1960s–2007 (journalism) |
| Known for | Editor of The Daily Telegraph; co-founder of the London Marathon |
John William Bryant (25 April 1944 – 30 April 2020) was a distinguished British journalist and avid marathon runner. He held the position of editor at The Daily Telegraph between 2005 and 2007, and occupied prominent editorial roles such as editor of The European, editor of The Sunday Correspondent, deputy editor at The Times, and executive editor at the Daily Mail. Alongside Chris Brasher, Bryant was instrumental in founding the London Marathon.
Early and personal life
Bryant was born on 25 April 1944 in Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset. He received his education at Sexey's School in Bruton before pursuing legal studies at Queen's College, Oxford, where he earned an Oxford Blue. Known for his reserved nature and reluctance to participate in interviews, he resided in Kingston upon Thames.
Athletics career
A former county champion in running, Bryant later coached athletes including Olympic competitor Zola Budd and accompanied her at the 1984 Olympics. During the 1950s, he associated with key figures involved in breaking the four-minute mile barrier and developed a connection with Roger Bannister.
His friendship with track athlete Chris Brasher led to his involvement in shaping the modern London Marathon. By April 2016, Bryant had completed his 24th marathon, expressing gratitude to his support team at an event near Tower Bridge. In total, he ran in 29 London Marathons. Additionally, he captained the Thames Hare and Hounds, recognized as the world's oldest cross-country running club.
Journalism career
Bryant’s journalism career commenced at the Edinburgh Evening News. In the 1980s, he advanced to executive editor roles at the Daily Mail, also serving as consultant and features editor. He joined The Times in 1986 as managing editor, contributing a regular sports column and later advancing to deputy editor following his editorial leadership at The Sunday Correspondent and The European.
On 18 November 2005, after Martin Newland resigned, Bryant was appointed editor of The Daily Telegraph. His period there included managing the relocation of the newspaper’s offices to Victoria, London. However, his tenure was marked by challenges such as editorial staff reductions—54 redundancies in 2006—and reported conflicts with Sunday Telegraph editor Sarah Sands. Bryant announced his intention to leave in late 2006, reflecting positively on his experience. In October that year, William Lewis assumed leadership unofficially until Bryant’s formal departure in 2007.
Following his exit from The Daily Telegraph, Bryant authored various books and articles centered on sports and marathon running, notably writing about Roger Bannister’s historic four-minute mile achievement for The Guardian. In 2008, he was appointed chair of the Press Association Trust.
Death
Bryant passed away on 30 April 2020 at age 76 at his home in Surrey after enduring a prolonged illness. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and six grandchildren.
Bibliography
- 3:59.4, Penguin Books, 2005,
- The London Marathon, Penguin Books, 2006,