Culture Editor Matthew Cain to leave Channel 4 News
Gay journalist and broadcaster Matthew Cain has announced that he’s leaving Channel 4 News as the programme’s culture editor in order to write fiction.
Cain, who also writes for Attitude magazine, became Channel 4’s first ever culture editor in July 2010, having worked for seven years on The South Bank Show, where he made films about Sir Ian McKellen, Will Young and Carol Ann Duffy.
He recently took part in a panel event at Student Pride in Brighton.
Cain said in a statement: “I’m very sad to be leaving Channel 4 News, it’s been a terrific three years and I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best journalists in the business. But now feels like the right time to move on. I’ve loved interviewing so many creative figures about their work but can no longer resist the urge to pursue creative projects of my own.”
He added: “It’s always been my dream to write fiction and I’m thrilled to have recently delivered my first novel to Pan Macmillan – and am overjoyed to be writing the second. I hope one day to make it back onto Channel 4 News – but this time as an interviewee!”
Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear said: “Matt has been a wonderful colleague and one of the hardest working people in the newsroom. His passion for the arts spilled over onto the screen, his specialist knowledge gave us access to great stories and artists and his enthusiasm was infectious. Television journalism’s loss is literature’s gain and I have no doubt he will end up as the interviewee when he wins a great literary prize.”
