Paul Dacre to front documentary about how he ‘shaped the Daily Mail as the voice of middle England’

The former editor was an elusive figure during his time at the newspaper

Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre will front a documentary about his time at the helm of the national newspaper, it has been announced.

Channel 4’s The World According to Paul Dacre will see the journalist discuss his 26 years as Daily Mail editor, along with how he used the publication to influence UK politics.

Announcing the three-part series, Channel 4 said: “Telling the extraordinary story of how he shaped the Mail as the voice of middle England, he will share his unique insights into the events and the people who defined the front page of his newspaper.”

The documentary promises to “bring to life the decisions, debates and dilemmas that faced the editor of the Daily Mail throughout his tenure”, recounting all the “highs and lows” along the way.

Dacre was an elusive figure during his Daily Mail editorship who rarely gave interviews or made public appearances. He was known for his attacks on liberal Britain – including against Channel 4 – and in recent years his editorship was characterised by his pro-Brexit stance.

He was succeeded by new editor Geordie Greig in 2018.

The Daily Mail's Saturday edition is by far the biggest-selling print newspaper in the country, selling 1.7m copies on the newsstand, and the publication is expected to overtake The Sun as the biggest-selling British national newspaper overall.

The World According to Paul Dacre is expected to air in early 2021.