Richard Desmond

Richard Desmond
Born	(1951-12-08) December 8, 1951 Hampstead, London, England
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, publisher
Known for	Founder of Northern & Shell; owner of Express Newspapers; former owner of Channel 5

Richard Clive Desmond (born 8 December 1951) is a British entrepreneur, publisher, and former figure in the adult entertainment industry. He established Northern & Shell, beginning with music magazine publications during the 1970s, before branching out into adult magazines throughout the 1980s. During the 1990s, the firm introduced celebrity-focused titles such as OK! and New!, alongside launching Portland TV, which specialized in adult television channels. In the early 2000s, Northern & Shell divested its adult magazine portfolio and acquired Express Newspapers, followed by the purchase of Britain's Channel 5 in 2010. The company also initiated The Health Lottery in 2011. Channel 5 was later sold in 2014, Portland TV in 2016, and Express Newspapers in 2018.

In 2020, Desmond attracted criticism after exerting pressure on Robert Jenrick, then serving as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to override the Planning Inspectorate's decision and approve a housing project for his business. This ruling initially spared the company £40 million but was subsequently reversed.

As reported by the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, Desmond was ranked as the UK's 122nd wealthiest individual, with an estimated net worth of £1.3 billion.

Early life

Born in Hampstead, north London, Desmond grew up in a Jewish household as the youngest of three siblings, raised in Edgware, northwest London. His father was of Latvian Jewish heritage, while his mother descended from Ukrainian-Jewish roots. Cyril, his father, served as managing director at cinema advertising firm Pearl & Dean. After Cyril lost his hearing due to an ear infection, he took young Richard along to business meetings, providing him with early exposure to commercial affairs.

Following significant family upheaval caused by Cyril's gambling problems and their eventual divorce, an 11-year-old Desmond moved with his mother, Millie, into a flat situated above a garage. He later described this time as "very fat and very lonely." His education included attendance at Edgware Junior School and Christ's College, Finchley.

Desmond left formal education at age 15 and began working on classified advertisements for the Thomson Group, while also playing drums during his free time. He subsequently became advertising manager at Beat Publications, which produced Beat Instrumental. By age 21, he owned two record stores.

Establishment of Northern & Shell

During the mid-1970s, Desmond merged his passions for music and advertising by co-founding Cover Publication with Ray Hammond. They launched International Musician and Recording World, a monthly magazine distributed across the UK, US, Australia, Japan, and Germany. This was followed by Home Organist, whose editor coined the motto ("Nothing is difficult for the strong"), a phrase still adopted by Northern & Shell today. Eventually, Desmond acquired Hammond's stake.

In 1979, drawing inspiration from 'Gulf and Western', Desmond rebranded Cover Publication as Northern & Shell—'Northern' deriving from Northern Rock and 'Shell' from Shell Oil. He became an early investor in London's Docklands area by purchasing land for Northern & Shell's headquarters for £1 million; the company relocated there in 1982.

OK! Magazine

Northern & Shell introduced the celebrity-focused OK! magazine as a monthly publication in 1993, transitioning to a weekly format by 1996. It has grown to become the largest weekly magazine worldwide, with 23 editions spanning from the United States to Australia and a readership surpassing 31 million. Originally modeled after Hello!, it has since surpassed its competitor in sales.

Pornography

Northern & Shell started publishing the UK version of Penthouse in 1982, a license they discontinued during the 1990s. Subsequently, the company released numerous adult magazines such as Asian Babes, Readers Wives, Barely Legal, Horny Housewives, Mega Boobs, and Posh Wives, accumulating a portfolio of 45 titles before divesting them. Throughout the 1980s, Desmond operated a premium rate phone sex service, which was sold in 1988 following concerns raised by British Telecom. In 1994, he ordered the destruction of 250,000 copies of Penthouse due to a contentious photoshoot featuring royal lookalikes.

In 1995, Northern & Shell launched The Fantasy Channel, one of the UK's pioneering satellite adult channels, which was later renamed Television X. By 2003, the company managed seven channels that contributed £17 million towards Northern & Shell’s £60 million operating profit. Additionally, it established fantasy121.com. Its main competitors in this sector included David Sullivan and Paul Raymond.

Desmond aimed to distance himself from the adult entertainment industry by putting these magazine titles up for sale in 2001, eventually selling them to Remnant Media for approximately £10 million. While acknowledging their significance to his business, he expressed a preference to exit this market.

Northern & Shell fully withdrew from pornography in April 2016 when Portland Television—the broadcaster of Television X and Red Hot channels since 1995—was sold through a management buyout for less than £1 million. Due to his previous involvement in adult media, Desmond has been dubbed "Richard 'Dirty' Desmond" or simply "Dirty Des" by publications such as Private Eye.

Desmond rejects the label of pornographer, highlighting that his content was legal and widely accessible through mainstream retailers like WHSmith and platforms including Freeview. In November 2021, he engaged legal counsel to request the removal of the term "pornographer" from his Wikipedia entry, arguing that it implies illegal or indecent publishing.

Alleged connections with New York mafia

The Guardian reported that in 1991 Desmond entered an agreement with Norman Chanes to advertise telephone sex services operated by Chanes' mafia associate, Richard Martino, linked to the Gambino crime family, within his adult magazines. The BBC noted Martino’s alleged mafia affiliations, although Desmond denied any awareness of these ties. The arrangement reportedly resulted in financial losses for the American parties; after Desmond declined compensation demands, one of his employees was kidnapped and assaulted in New York. Desmond dismissed this incident as "a fantasy" but advised the employee to contact law enforcement and seek protection.

In February 2005, The Guardian disclosed FBI affidavits from Martino’s trial mentioning that Desmond had received death threats from members of the Gambino family. Desmond denied any participation or knowledge regarding Martino’s fraudulent activities.

Express Newspapers

In November 2000, Northern & Shell purchased Express Newspapers from United News & Media for £125 million, acquiring prominent titles such as the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday (originally launched by Desmond), and the Irish Daily Star—the latter jointly owned with Independent News & Media. By August 2024, circulation figures for the Daily and Sunday Express ranged between approximately 120,000 and 140,000 copies per edition.

Following the acquisition, Desmond engaged in a highly publicized dispute with Viscount Rothermere, publisher of the competing Daily Mail, often revolving around personal controversies. In 2003, the Evening Herald accused Desmond of leveraging the Express to propagate racist viewpoints; on one occasion, he was quoted saying, "No. I just don't trust darkies or poofs."

An investigation by the Financial Times in 2003 uncovered that Desmond had registered his business in Jersey to minimize UK tax liabilities and that a significant portion of profits derived from adult-oriented television channels rather than traditional publishing.

In 2004, Desmond made a £500 million bid to acquire The Daily Telegraph, its Sunday edition, and The Spectator magazine.

That same April, after shifting the Daily Express's political allegiance back to the Conservative Party (UK), Desmond publicly criticized The Daily Telegraph, which was then contemplating acquisition by German media group Axel Springer, accusing it of harboring Nazi sympathies. At a meeting with executives, he reportedly mocked German language and mannerisms reminiscent of Adolf Hitler, causing attendees to walk out. This episode was cited as an example highlighting entrenched racism within newspaper ownership circles. Previously, in August 2001, the National Union of Journalists at the Express & Star condemned Desmond for a "hysterical and racist" campaign regarding asylum seekers; columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown also criticized this approach in 2002.

In August 2005, former executive editor of the Daily Express, Ted Young, reached an out-of-court settlement with Desmond's company over allegations of assault in the newsroom during September 2004. Desmond has consistently refuted these accusations.

By 2008, Northern & Shell reported revenues totaling £483.9 million.

Libel case

Legal proceedings commenced at the High Court on 6 July 2009 concerning allegations made in journalist Tom Bower's co-authored biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel, titled Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge. The book claimed that Desmond had executed a "humiliating climbdown" related to an Express story from late 2002 about Lord Black's financial affairs—an action allegedly directed by Desmond himself. This assertion implied a diminution of Desmond’s reputation as a formidable businessman and was deemed defamatory by him. Bower denied libel charges, maintaining that his account was "substantially true". The presiding judge, The Hon. Mr Justice Eady, dismissed the jury shortly after due to critical evidentiary and legal matters arising. Subsequently, a new jury ruled in favor of Bower. Notably, Bower authored an unpublished biography of Desmond entitled Rough Trader in 2006.

News content

In 2014, the Financial Times characterized the Desmond-owned Express as frequently recycling stories centered on immigration issues, extreme weather events, and conspiracy theories regarding Princess Diana’s demise. During the Leveson Inquiry in 2012, Desmond acknowledged persistent speculation about Diana's death but refrained from endorsing any particular claims. According to reports from The Times, his newspapers repeatedly published such unverified theories.

The Express was subject to legal action over its reporting on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, resulting in a £550,000 damages payout to her parents in 2008 for defamatory content. At Leveson, Desmond defended his publication by criticizing the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) for inadequate guidance and described it as an ineffective body managed by individuals intent on undermining his enterprise. In a BBC interview in 2015, he asserted that the Express had covered the McCann case "very fairly."

Channel 5

In July 2010, Desmond acquired UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 5 from RTL Group for £103.5 million despite its history of financial losses. Prior to purchase, Channel 5 had accumulated a €41 million (£37 million) total deficit including a €9 million operating loss. Following acquisition, Desmond promptly reduced expenses by terminating seven out of nine directors and planned cuts affecting up to 80 employees from a workforce of around 300 to achieve £20 million in annual savings while simultaneously increasing investment in programming. In its first full year under his ownership, Channel 5 experienced a 28% increase in revenue driven by shows like Big Brother and regaining a significant media buying contract with Aegis. He subsequently sold Channel 5 to Viacom for £463 million in May 2014.

Westferry Printworks

Northern & Shell proposed constructing 722 residential units on the former Westferry Printworks site in 2016; this plan received approval from then-London Mayor Boris Johnson but did not advance further.

A revised scheme submitted in 2018 aimed for 1,500 homes across five towers but was initially rejected by local planning authorities. The proposal later gained approval from then-Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick. However, Jenrick admitted in 2020 that this approval was unlawful. After attending a Conservative fundraising dinner where Jenrick was present, Desmond sent him a text opposing payment of infrastructure levies demanded by Tower Hamlets Council. Jenrick’s endorsement—contrary to planning inspector recommendations—was reportedly timed to meet a deadline that saved Desmond approximately £40 million. The development planned only 21% affordable housing against a target of 35%, potentially reducing costs by up to £106 million for Desmond’s company. Northern & Shell had contributed financially to the Conservative Party in 2017 and made an additional personal donation shortly after receiving approval. The Conservative Party Chairman later apologized for permitting Desmond’s lobbying efforts directed at Jenrick during that event. Ultimately, government authorities rejected the development.

In 2023, a new application was filed proposing a residential-led mixed-use project comprising 1,358 homes alongside a secondary school with capacity for 1,200 pupils and ground-level commercial spaces. The plan includes over five acres of public open space and complies with the 35% affordable housing requirement. By August 2024, local councils resolved to grant planning permission with formal consent issued in February 2025.

Net Worth

By December 2010, Desmond's privately held publishing enterprise employed over 2,000 personnel worldwide. That year he ranked joint-57th wealthiest individual in Britain according to The Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated net worth of £950 million. His fortune increased to £1.2 billion by 2014 placing him at number 78 on the list. In 2016, Forbes valued his assets at nearly $1.49 billion while the Sunday Times Rich List reported £2.25 billion. His net worth reached £2.6 billion in 2019 before declining to £2 billion by 2020.

In 2018, Desmond sold Express Newspapers to Reach plc (formerly Trinity Mirror) for £200 million and allocated £74 million from this sale into funding the Express newspapers pension scheme through until at least 2027.

Political activity

Desmond contributed £100,000 to the Labour Party in 2000. During an interview on BBC's Newsnight program, then Prime Minister Tony Blair defended accepting this donation despite Desmond’s involvement with pornography enterprises by stating that owning a major national newspaper group qualified one as an acceptable donor.

Ahead of the UK general election in May 2015, Desmond pledged £300,000 to UK Independence Party (UKIP) in December 2014 amid rumors of further funding commitments; he subsequently donated an additional £1 million to UKIP in April 2015.

The Health Lottery

In October 2011, Northern & Shell launched the Health Lottery which dedicates approximately one-fifth of its revenue to charitable causes via the People's Health Trust (PHT), supporting health initiatives across England, Scotland and Wales. The Health Lottery returned about 20.34p per pound ticket sold to good causes compared with around 28p distributed by the National Lottery—a disparity that attracted criticism from charity leaders accusing Desmond of profiteering from charitable gaming schemes. In July 2020 this charitable share increased to one quarter.

Desmond announced intentions in November 2019 to bid for renewal of the National Lottery licence upon expiry; Northern & Shell submitted their proposal in early 2021 but lost out when contract was awarded to Allywn in March 2022. Northern & Shell later initiated legal challenges against how the Gambling Commission managed this award process.

Personal life

Desmond was married for twenty-seven years to Janet Robertson; they have one son named Robert together. Following their divorce finalized in 2010, he married Joy Canfield—a former British Airways manager—in 2012; she was pregnant with their child at that time. The couple has two children: daughter Angel Millie born in 2011 and son Valentine born four years later.

In collaboration with Roger Daltrey in 2003, Desmond co-founded RD Crusaders—a rock band formed specifically to raise funds for charitable causes. He assumed presidency of Norwood—a UK Jewish charity—in 2006 and donated £2.5 million toward Moorfields Eye Hospital’s children’s centre which now bears his name.

Desmond’s autobiography titled The Real Deal: The Autobiography of Britain's Most Controversial Media Mogul was published by Random House in June 2015; it was ghostwritten by Sunday Express editor Martin Townsend with Desmond narrating its audiobook version which received five-star reviews from his own Daily Express publication.

External links

• Official website of Northern & Shell