News UK is “discussing” appointing Rebekah Brooks as chief executive
Rebekah Brooks could soon return to work at News Corp, this time as chief executive of News UK.
The former News of the World editor resigned from the organisation four years ago amid the phone hacking scandal, but was cleared of all charges last year.
A spokesperson for News Corp said:
We have been having discussions with Rebekah Brooks and when we have any announcements to make we will let you know.
If she does become head of Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper operations, she will replace Mike Darcey.
The appointment could be announced as soon as next month, according to the FT, and would be part of a wider reshuffle. Current Sun editor David Dinsmore is also expected to take a senior position at News UK, working alongside Brooks. Tony Gallagher, deputy editor of the Daily Mail, is considered a likely candidate to replace Dinsmore.
It is not the first time Brooks's return to the organisation has been discussed – over the past year, other possibilities have been considered including her appointment as head of Storyful, the social media news agency of News Corp.
Although Brooks herself has been cleared, two Sun journalists who she managed are currently under investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service, which is deciding whether to bring charges against them for bribing officials.