Tributes have been paid after a regional daily editor lost his battle with cancer at the age of 51.
Nottingham Post editor Mel Cook, left, died last night after a fight with cancer, which he was diagnosed with last autumn.
He became editor of the title last May, after four years at the helm of the Scunthorpe Telegraph, where he oversaw its switch from daily to weekly publication.
Mel also held senior positions at the Hull Daily Mail, Derby Telegraph and South Wales Echo during his 30-year career.
Nottingham Post publisher Steve Hollingsworth said: “Mel was one of life’s good guys – funny, friendly, hard- working, compassionate and a great editor. Even through his fight with this most cruel of illnesses Mel remained positive and pragmatic.
“He was a true friend and will be missed by all who knew him. The thoughts of everyone at the Post are with Helen, Ellie, Luke and the rest of his family at this tragic time.”
Mel began his career at the Pontefract and Castleford Express and was deputy editor at the Hull Daily Mail from 1999-2008 before joining the Scunthorpe Telegraph.
During his time at the Post, Mel oversaw the title’s move from its old offices at Castle Wharf to a new base at City Gate and he also led a transformation project to improve the paper and its website.
Mel became well-known across Nottingham following his appointment and he spoke at the annual Nottingham Post Business Awards.
He continued to work for the paper during his cancer treatment.
Derby Telegraph managing director Steve Hall said: “Mel was a brilliant newspaper man and one of the best production journalists that I have worked with in 30 years in the industry.
“He was also one of life’s gentlemen and an intensively positive individual whose cheery approach to life was uplifting and infectious.
“I was fortunate enough to not only be Mel’s colleague but also to count him as a friend and I will remember with great fondness our days playing alongside each other for the Derby Telegraph’s football and cricket teams. He will be much missed.”
Former Hull Daily Mail editor John Meehan, who worked with Mel for 13 years, added: “Mel was a consummate professional and an enormously capable all-round journalist. He had great news sense and terrific production skills. He could spot a great story and knew how to project it to best effect.
“He also achieved the rare combination of commanding the respect of his colleagues and being universally popular.
“He made things tick at the Hull Daily Mail, then went on to be a big success as editor of the Sunthorpe Telegraph.
“Mel’s death in his prime is terribly, terribly sad. He had begun to make his mark at the Nottingham Post and would have had a huge impact there. His passing is a great loss to regional journalism, the Nottingham Post and the community it serves.”
John also highlighted Mel’s commitment and professionalism in working a 23-hour shift on the day of the 9/11 terror attacks, having started at 4am to cover a major drugs bust and then working until the early hours for a special edition on the New York outrages.
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Very sad to hear about Mel. Had the privilege of working with him in the late 1990s in Cardiff and loved his wonderful combination of charm, humour, fun and great professionalism. He was the embodiment of positive calm however big the crisis or close the deadline. A good man and a great loss to regional journalism.
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Very sad to hear of this. A really good man and someone I looked up to while I was working at HDM. RIP Mel.
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Mel Cook was a very good and capable journalist. But more important than that, he was also a very nice fella. Which is why Mel will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by everyone who knew him. His tremendous sense of humour, in particular, will live long in the memory.
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I worked with Mel on my first job within the newspaper industry, along with Gordon Wilson, Steve Hall, Mike Sassi,Simon O’Neill, Mike Lowe and many others Mel took me under his wing and guided me on the day to day running of the paper. He also made an impact with the football trips and the pranks pulled on friends within the Derby Telegraph. Last year I had the privilege of working with him again when he joint the Nottingham Post. A true gent and a friend who will be missed by many. He was the Heart of the department always willing to help and go that extra mile to aid a story. Mel you will me missed.
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Mel will be sadly missed. A great journalist and a real nice guy. I had the honour of working briefly with him at the HDM … he impressed me greatly.
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Proud to have worked with Mel and survived the exile in Cardiff alongside Mssrs Perch, Sassi, Clifford, Norton and Fowler. Great newspaperman and top bloke. So long, old chum.
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Great journalist. Brilliant friend. Decent footballer. Rubbish drinker. Absolute quality human being. We’ll miss you, mate
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As all have already said, he was just such a ‘nice guy’ as well as being an outstanding journalist.
I so enjoyed working with Mel at the Hull Daily Mail, he brought a smile to us always.
God Bless Mel
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Mel: Such a lovely bloke and a good, fair boss – very patient and with a great sense of humour. I can’t remember seeing you without a smile on your face. Very professional, but you can guarantee where there was mischief on the newsroom floor, Mel was never too far away! I am proud to say I worked with you. You’ll be missed.
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Such a shock to read about Mel. As a manager in the advertisement department in Hull, I found Mel to be very understanding and a great support of the many comercial problems and opportunities that we encounted . He was always very supportive and a good friend. He will be greatly missed. Happy memories.
David Peat, retired.
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Mel was with us for only a few months before it became apparent he was battling illness, but what an impact he made. He was a breath of fresh air after some tough times, a mischievous sense of humour combined with first-class technical skills and a clear vision of how he wanted his paper to look. He wasn’t afraid to make tough decisions, confronted the challenges head-on and started to change people’s perceptions of the Post. Most of all, he was just a good bloke. Gone too soon.
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The only people who had a bad word to say about Mel were the victims of his relentless practical jokes (mainly news editors) and even they saw the funny side after a brief hissy fit.
He was all the things people have described him as: hard working, honest, kind, upbeat and funny to name but a few.
But in the final analysis, I will remember Mel for the awe-inspiring courage and dignity with which he faced his terrible illness and as a loyal and valued friend.
It is so hideously unfair that he has been taken at the still tender age of 51. God bless you Mel, I won’t forget you.
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Great journalist and a great bloke. Mel had a knack of always knowing the right thing to say to make you feel a whole lot better about yourself and life. It’s a really sad loss and the world is a little worse with his passing.
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I knew Mel for nearly 30 years and have many happy memories of sharing a house together in Wakefield when we both worked on weekly newspapers. We had so many laughs and I remember the resolute determination to never stay in as long as the Bay Horse was serving. I was also a proud member of Mel’s band “The Padlock Sisters” ( Zoot Padlock, saxophone) which had some memorable gigs in Hull. Mel’s vocals were “legendary.” A lovely, funny man. RIP
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Very sad. Worked with Mel at Hull Daily Mail. A big presence in the newsroom, an excellent journalist with great passion for his job… and also a funny, likeable man (always called me Oxley of Nottingham!)
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This is heartbreaking news. Mel was a lovely man who struck me as being a kind, compassionate and funny guy as well as a dedicated and passionate journalist. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
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I once played Mel at squash. He served the first point as, back to him, I closed the door on to the court. Later, we somehow found our way to his local where I got in the first round (Stella, of course). We chatted and as he drained the glass, looked at me with that mischievous glint in his eye, pushed the glass along the bar in my direction and said: “Did you say you were on expenses tonight?”
Mel was a lovely man, great company, very funny and a proper newspaperman. I feel privileged to call him a friend. RIP, mate.
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Great story, John, as are all the others. Lovely to see so many people remembering Mel with such fondness.
I had somehow forgotten that Mel was the fastest drinker of a first pint ever (and it was always Stella)!
After the first one he slowed down rapidly!
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So sad to hear this news. I worked with Mel at HDM and he really was a lovely guy. You’ll be missed by many Mel.
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Mel was unforgetable. I knew him from 6th form days as a fellow pupil and he was always laughing, smiling and compassionate even in those teen years. His Padlock Sisters band days will never be forgotten by those that were thoroughly entertained by the band. It seems he had carried his wonderful character through in life as he went from boy to man to father. Mel’s love and character will remain with his family and friends forever, and may Mel himself now have resting peace having been taken away so tragically young.
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Such sad news about a wonder man. I am grateful to have known Mel and be a friend. He will be missed by many, many people. Love to his family. Thanks Mel.
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Very little more to add. The comments here say everything anyone would want to say about Mel. Yes he was a practical joker – but also took the jokes on himself as well. Always had his heart in the right place and was such a professional at his job. Part of a great team who will miss him dearly.
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I went to see Mel at the end of last year after he was diagnosed with his illness. He was amazingly brave. We laughed non-stop for three hours. He was a top bloke and a great newspaper man. When I think of Mel and some of the antics we got up to in Derby I will always smile…great days. Hope he is subbing some pages in Heaven.
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Good to see so many heartfelt tributes here from Mel’s former colleagues. For my part, I would very much echo Steve Hall’s words – Mel was the best production journalist I ever worked with, bar none.
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I knew Mel at School and we became close friends in the sixth form as I was chairman of the sixth form committe and he was my “Chairman of Vice” as he used to say. Together with our friends Paul, Colin and Dave we formed the Padlock Sisters. Mel was the engine behind the comedy in the band. He was, quite simply, the funniest person I have ever met and, as seen in the rest of the comments on this page, an absolutely great bloke. I hadn’t seen Mel since his 40th birthday party and I didn’t even know he was ill. I am now left with a terrible sense of grief that I didn’t make more effort to get in touch with him. At least I can say that I knew him and that, like so many others, I feel blessed to have had that friendship.
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Very sorry to hear about Mel’s death – so young. It was a pleasure to know him in Scunny. I’m heartened to read that his send-off was a fine one.
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