Sunday Express critic claims he was fired over gay website images
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Version 0 of 1. Mark Shenton, the chief theatre critic of the Sunday Express, has claimed he was fired after executives discovered naked pictures of him on a gay website. In the daily blog he writes for the Stage, the theatre industry magazine, Shenton said he had been accused of bringing the newspaper into disrepute, adding that the editor, Martin Townsend, had described the pictures as embarrassing. Shenton, the paper's critic for more than 11 years, wrote: "The paper had been tipped off by a malicious third party that there were some private, personal (but entirely legal) images of me available on a gay website. I'd never seen or heard of the site myself so it was news to me." Once shown the pictures, he recalled that they were taken by a former friend in San Francisco 22 years ago. Shenton said there was "a certain irony" that the Sunday Express's proprietor, Richard Desmond, whose business interests once involved pornographic magazines and still include adult television channels, should be affronted by the pictures. "It could be said that the only difference is that these are straight magazines and channels whereas mine was defined as a gay one," he wrote. He also pointed out that, aside from a thumbnail picture of him without a shirt, all the naked pictures of him were only available if someone paid for access to the website. "In other words, people would have to go looking for them," he said. "I would not pay the money myself." Shenton, 51, said that his sexuality has long been public knowledge. He joined the Sunday Express in April 2002 and also writes for a variety of other publications, including, occasionally, the Guardian. He is also chairman of the drama section of the Critics' Circle. "The Sunday Express's Head of HR … believes that the existence of any such images could bring the company into disrepute. My sexuality is public knowledge and by revealing this information freely as I'm doing now, it is clear that I do not agree. "The editor of the paper also stated, in front of the HR head, that the images were 'embarrassing'. Sorry to disagree with his world view, but I'm not embarrassed at all." He concluded his blog by writing: "I will continue to write, tweet, broadcast and publish with my usual passion and integrity for other outlets." Before taking up his Express role, he worked for the Press Association from 1990, initially as editor for arts and entertainment and subsequently as managing editor for arts and lifestyle, finance data and television listings. Northern & Shell, Desmond's publishing company that owns the Sunday Express, declined to comment on the matter. However, it is known that it does dispute Shenton's version of events. Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |