David Yelland

David Yelland (born 14 May 1963) is a journalist and former editor of The Sun and founder of Kitchen Table Partners. He was formerly an executive at Brunswick Group until 2015. Since 2023, he has co-presented the BBC Radio 4 podcast series When It Hits the Fan with Simon Lewis.

Early life and education Born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, Yelland was adopted at birth by Michael and Patricia Yelland of York. Yelland's natural mother was a children's writer from Harrogate, who died before he could meet her. followed by Coventry Polytechnic (now Coventry University), where he obtained a BA in Economics. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party.

Journalism Yelland's first journalism post after university was at the Buckinghamshire Advertiser. His predecessor was Stuart Higgins and his successor was Rebekah Wade.

One of Yelland's first editorials as editor was "Why the BBC should be shut down".

His editorship was largely liberal and in an interview with The Guardian towards the end of his editorship he described himself as "a progressive liberal". He did the same in an interview with Tim Burt in the Financial Times in 2002 which ran on the front of the media section. Yelland says his favourite headline was "Is this the most dangerous man in Britain?" about Tony Blair.

In November 1998, Yelland ran a front-page editorial asking whether Britain was being run by a "Gay Mafia", which provoked a backlash. Yelland went on to say his paper was "no longer in the business of destroying closet gays' lives... unless there is major public interest reason to do so".

Yelland appeared on the BBC Today programme and wrote an opinion piece in The Guardian on 29 September 2013 arguing for reform of the press and for the Royal Charter on its future to be adopted.

Yelland has written a children's novel about a 10-year-old who tries to hide his father's alcoholism, titled The Truth about Leo,

Yelland became senior vice-chairman of the PR consultancy firm Weber Shandwick in 2004.

Personal life He married Tania Farrell in January 1996 at New York City Hall, but the couple divorced in 2004. Tania died from breast cancer in September 2006. Their son, Max, was born in Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Shepherd's Bush, London, in August 1998. On 30 September 2012 they announced the birth of their daughter in The Times.

Yelland said in 2009 that he checked into rehab for alcoholism in 2005 and has not drunk alcohol since. He said his novel was written both for children and adults, and a further theme is that of a young boy who has lost his mother. The book is dedicated to the memory of Tania, and to Max.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a board member of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and in 2007 was appointed a Life Patron of the charity.