The spectator

As Dacre era drifts to an end, Wadley gets the black spot

Rumours continue to circulate that Paul Dacre may imminently be given a tidy job upstairs at DMGT and, fantastically, that the editorship of the 'Daily Mail' would go to Veronica Wadley, currently editor of London's 'Evening Standard'. Dacre has suffered a couple of bouts of ill health this year, but is still stoically turning up for work. But even he, who has been at the helm for 15 years and celebrated his 59th birthday on Wednesday, won't go on forever. While there's a definite feeling within the 'Daily Mail' that change is afoot, could the mention of Wadley be a touch of foul play? "It sounds like someone doesn't want Veronica to get the job – there's no surer way of killing her chances than tipping her," says one senior insider.

Good week for

Victoria Newton: In a big reshuffle at the 'The Sun', the red-top's Bizarre editor has been shifted up in the ranks to become head of features and entertainment at the newspaper. It will be bad news for VickyWatch, however. The blog has been doing a roaring trade in listing the inaccuracies and exaggerations in her Bizarre gossip column.

Bad week for

Politics: "Politics is dead." So said ITV's director of television, Simon Shaps, to his senior staff, apparently.

And lo, 'The Sunday Edition', presented by Andrew Rawnsley and Andrea Catherwood, and the last in an illustrious line of political programmes from the channel which began with 'Weekend World', looks likely to be axed after only two series.

ITV officially claims no decision has been taken about what happens after Christmas.

'Sun' shines on Cameron

If it was 'the Sun' wot won it for Blair, David Cameron should be very excited by the latest reshuffle at Murdoch's red-top. Feisty deputy editor Fergus Shanahan has been shifted to become executive editor. Shanahan, a great friend of Cameron-basher Simon Heffer at the 'Telegraph', has not been comfortable with the paper's pro-Dave stance. Dominic Mohan, who takes his place as deputy, is a protégé of former 'News of the World' editor Andy Coulson, now the Tories' spin doctor.

Home is where the ego is

Nicholas Coleridge, Managing director of Condé Nast, has featured his own home in a glossy 10-page spread in 'The World of Interiors', a Condé Nast mag.

Wolverton Hall in Worcestershire is full of all sorts of creepy personalised features such as: "Sunhats perched on antlers from a deer shot by Nicholas Coleridge" and, in the bathroom, "the mounted butterflies above the basin were netted by Nicholas Coleridge, aged 10." Does his ego know no bounds?

Sambrook's shuffle

The BBC's Richard Sambrook, director of global news and oldest swinger in town, pitched in to a 'Word' magazine podcast discussion on why playing Beatles tracks empties the dance floor at parties. Sambrook emailed in: "You are wrong about the Beatles. 'I saw her standing there' nearly always works although admittedly only for the over 40s which I guess begs the question of whether they should be shuffling at all at that age." The BBC News Christmas party should be a hoot.

Blondie's bow to Bower

On the subject of old swingers, I hear Tom Bower is a big fan of Debbie Harry. So much so, that his wife, 'Evening Standard' editor Veronica Wadley, flew-in a Debbie Harry impersonator, at vast expense, to his birthday holiday in Kenya's exclusive Manda Bay resort last year. "I was surprised he liked Debbie Harry because he looked to so boring and bookish," says the impersonator, Michelle Hendricks. Bower's favourite Blondie song: 'Union City Blues.'