A copy boy who rose through the ranks to become editor and travel the world during his career has retired from The Journal, Newcastle, after 50 years in journalism.

Brian Nicholls met the Queen twice and interviewed Yasser Arafat, Tony Bennett and Sophia Loren during that time.

He has built on his start at the bottom of the career ladder as copyboy on the now defunct Evening News in Glasgow.

He moved on to the Daily Record, then to The Journal in 1957, for the first of three stints, then the Daily Express, the Daily Herald on Fleet Street, and then back to the North-East to the Northern Echo under Harold Evans who he said was great to work for and a “real live wire”.

Brian spent time in India in 1965 when the country was at war with Pakistan, but returned to England and the Northern Echo, before editing the Evening Despatch in Darlington for five years.

In 1978 he launched The Gulf Times in Qatar, with his wife Dorothy but without staff or even a printing press.

He made it a success over the next 12 years – yet for the first issue they had to hand fold 10,000 copies of the newspaper.

Editor Ged Henderson said at his retirement presentation: “Brian is a journalist of the old school – a true professional and a true gentleman.

“He goes about his work with a smile on his face, even in the most stressful times.

“Brian never complains or moans is courteous to everyone he meets and has been a great ambassador for the newspaper.

“And I’m pleased to say that although he’s retiring from The Journal his reporting and writing days are not behind him. His byline will not disappear, be sure of that.”

Brian said: “It’s been an interesting career. I was a speedway nut when I was 15 and I just thought that if I got a job in journalism I would never have to pay to get into the speedway. But the plan has changed a bit since then.”

He plans to stay in East Boldon in his retirement, with Dorothy, and still has a few writing projects on the go. He will also spend more time with his children, Andrea, (39), and Julian, (37).

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