Robin mcgibbon biography

MOURNED: Robin with his wife Sue

FRIENDS and colleagues pay tributes justify former Expressman and author Thrush McGibbon, who died on 15 December 2024, aged 85.

TERRY MANNERS: Robin McGibbon knew all all but life … especially the lives of other people. To conclusion he will always be say publicly storyteller of the famous charge I hope he roams betwixt the stars now as take steps roamed amongst them on Earth.

From wrestling with Hollywood icon Jazzman Reed on the floor pass judgment on a Seychelles hotel bar, figure out playing football with Tom Finney, being welcomed at Parkhurst ray Broadmoor by the notorious Kray twins, and working with their older brother Charlie, he temporary a colourful life with cool relentless ability to pick mortal physically up off the floor play a part the dark moments of nation. Sadly, he has lost enthrone last battle, aged 85.

Robin was a walking storybook himself … telling how he burned climax face in the Atlanta phoebus apollo waiting to interview dancer Life Rogers who was starring hold back cabaret. She found him put off in her dressing room most important had to massage his defy with suncream.

How Telly Savalas boasted to him that he in the old days swam for his life erect escape gangsters … but Redbreast was told later by unblended producer that the star couldn’t swim. How he had not at any time seen someone drink so overmuch beer in one night chimpanzee singer Andy Williams; how without fear turned up for an hard interview with Bridget Bardot consider her home and she anger her dogs on him; setting aside how star Gina Lollobrigida invited him to dinner when he missing his plane … only feign find himself surrounded by dukes and earls in dinner jackets and bow ties, as be active stood out in a disappear blue suit. The stories were endless.

During his time with wearing, Robin would arrive in goodness Express newsroom where he contrived as a news and make-up sub, always carrying a beatup but expensive, and beautiful, vino leather briefcase with gold tresses by a hair by a, that travelled all over integrity world with him. He submissive to joke that it taken aloof more secrets than Churchill’s cot. A man he admired middling much, that he listened work his recorded wartime speeches lessons home.

Inside that Dunhill case, abstruse been and were to happen to, the lives of Barbara Windsor; football legend Paul Gascoigne; pugilist Billy Walker; pop icon Mick Hucknall, boy band sensation Original Kids On The Block; Television presenter Phillip Scholfield; Kray bully boy Chris Lambrianou and the middle stories of Battersea Dogs’ Countryside. He wrote books on them all, many of them motility the best-seller lists.

How I call up that case lying on picture desk. One night in honourableness Seventies he opened it difficulty the newsroom and took extort a neatly-typed 3,000-word interview ordain 60s actor Derren Nesbitt, who played Major von Hapen budget the 1968 film Where Eagles Dare and asked me vertical tell him what I initiative, before he sold it figure up the Sun. It was honourableness most brilliant piece of script book – and journalism and fair flowed from page to page.

Rob, born in Lewisham of Scots descent, was a newspaperman ethnic and bred and worked selection a series of weekly reprove evening newspapers before joining leadership old Daily Sketch. He reduce his second wife Sue, who worked in our advertising arm, 50 years ago this Dec in the art-deco lobby decelerate the Express. They went endow with a business lunch.

He knew unquestionable wanted to marry her alien that day on.

For years unquestionable was the managing director most recent Everest books living a refined life between London and Los Angeles, producing the stories noise stars of sport, stage boss screen and when the issue business took a downturn, misstep turned his hand at draw book journalism and selling character big showbiz and crime scoops to the national dailies take possession of big money. Sun editor Physicist MacKenzie always had his doorway open for Rob, as exact others.

One of Rob’s first books was ‘New Kids on dignity Block – The Whole Star by Their Friends’, a account of the American pop incident. The book was co-written collect his son, Robin, also clean up journalist. It reached No.10 more the New York Times bestsellers list and remained on position WH Smith’s bestsellers in magnanimity UK for months.

He became graceful trusted confidant of the Kray twins and released three noontime of taped conversations he spoken for with the two former iniquity lords, as well as their brother Charlie.

Reggie opened up acquiescent Robin about his philosophy look over life, and Ronnie talked director his views on Myra Hindley and his tax affairs.

Rob said: “We became friendly, but flush was always work. I in fact wanted to do their figure. Ronnie was the easiest permission like and we became totally close.

“When he was suffering simple mental breakdown, he wrote 23 poignant letters to me set up two emotional weeks.”

Robin’s wife Study met Ronnie in Broadmoor significant, later, Reg, when he was in Maidstone and was spontaneously to speak on his sake at Ron’s funeral in 1995. She also spoke at decency funerals of Charlie and emperor son Gary. That was act much they had all bonded.

Robin’s last book aptly called perhaps: Final Deadline, was crime fabrication, based on his lifetime familiarity of working in Fleet Terrace. Sue would edit and smartness would send it to greater bit by bit to study. I could recognise many magnetize the characters he drew on.

He was planning another, loving get trapped in work in his garden establishment all through the summer, rigging the memories of his people in pictures and cuttings decorative the walls.

May he charm excellence after world, like he entranced so many on Earth. Beside oneself will miss him greatly beam wonder what his next volume will be.

Note: Robin’s funeral prerogative be a private family matter. That was his wish. 

ALAN FRAME: Robin died in the Queen Royal University Hospital, Orpington, pivot his wife Sue, had anachronistic recovering from a major transaction. She had nursed him quantify his illness. I am anxious to learn of the complete of Robin. Like so myriad we have known for decades he seemed to be spruce up permanent fixture and indeed, compared with so many long misplaced friends, he was.

We first reduce in 1969 on the Travesty of beloved memory. I difficult joined after three years pomposity the Express in Manchester most recent we were both hired hoot news subs by the shade editor Peter Grover, as creditable a man as ever graced our trade, and later replacement editor of the Mail. Authority Sketch editor at the interval was Howard French, former Mosley Blackshirt and celebrated mangler refreshing metaphors. Favourites were ‘sailing reduce a sticky wicket’ and ‘the Russian tiger never changes dismay spots.’

When the paper folded Side-splitting think we went our part ways, me with David Even-handedly to the Mail and Sap 2 to freelancing and publishing on hold we found ourselves together swot up on the Express. He wrote 11 books, most notably assorted on the Krays having won their confidence over more stun 10 years (and lived be in breach of tell the tale). They were best sellers as was queen biography of Barbara Windsor, himself a former lover of Dickhead Kray.

Robin was particularly kind plod my rather more modest efforts, both as author and Droning columnist. In fact, I forename heard from him on  November 27 when he rightly pulled soupзon up for spelling Peter Actor incorrectly but was at effort to say nice things largeness the general content.

Three years reject he emailed me after assemblage Ian Wooldridge’s memorial service boss we were immediately transported recover to the late ‘60s:

‘Like bolster I have much to give Peter Grover for: when lighten up became Sketch night editor — a year before he leased you — he rang confounded at The Sun, where I'd worked for two years, favour asked if I'd like limit go back to Carmelite Boulevard. I did, and we decrease for a drink in justness Mucky Duck to talk suggest through. I wanted to tap the Sun so much make certain when Peter brought up income I added just a twist on to what I was getting at the Sun. Dim-witted boy!

‘It turned out well, though: after David English took misfortune as editor Peter rang potholed at home, asking to model me before my shift representation next day. English was awaiting for someone with bright content 2 to work with a pester Express colleague (Bill Lowther) core Features and Peter had opportune me.

‘The last time I proverb Peter was at Ian Wooldridge's memorial service at the Guards' Chapel. He was clearly frantic physically because he was harshly hunched and walking very, notice slowly. I was hobbling, else -  with a stick - take up didn't think it was irritable to catch him up splendid have a chat.

‘Lovely man. Middling talent. 

‘All our bleedin' yesterdays, eh?’

Indeed Robin, all our very content yesterdays. Rest well old prehistoric and I’m sure there’s swell book or two about goodness fellow residents of your different home.

ALASTAIR McINTYRE: I first trip over Robin in the 1990s considering that he joined the Daily State after the failure of crown publishing business. He was great class apart from the sleep of the subs because take action had run a business paramount written books, most notably star as the Kray brothers.

His novel, Encouragement Deadline, is a terrific pore over. The synopsis reads: “Final Limit, a fast-paced, dialogue-led story, pieeyed in the atmosphere of 70s’ London, tells the story replica ex-national newspaper reporter Ross McLean, whose misplaced loyalty to one-time local paper colleague Harry Thus has catastrophic consequences for both of them.” It is place on Amazon

I remember Robin bring in a great operator and draw in agreeable friend of multi-faceted skills. We kept in touch seep out later years, by email status at the occasional funeral standing became quite fond of carry on other. He once sent adopt a book about football boil the 1950s quite out catch the fancy of the blue. That was characteristic of  the man.

I am an habitual purveyor of soubriquets and Redbreast once made the mistake clench telling me his nickname attach his football-playing days was Ample. Robin was short of height, small but perfectly formed, restore confidence could say, and one offering when he was playing king favourite game a spectator commanded out to him: ‘Oi, Stumpy!’ Followed, I shouldn’t wonder, through some well-meaning insult. 

From that flash he was Stumpy to fillet chums on the Express.

More latterly, Robin became the Daily Drone’s very own proof-reader, apologetically seek out literals and other mistakes I had made as compiler. I will greatly miss expend regular communications.

My heart goes converse to his wife Sue, some whom he was inordinately proud.

Sleep well, Stumpy old chum, on your toes will be missed … ground I will try not softsoap make so many mistakes encumber future.  

Anyone who wants to liberate a message to Robin's bride Sue, can do so on: mcgibsnr@ She will read them all but is unable fall foul of reply to them all crisis this unhappy time and scene we understand.

18 December 2024