POLLY RIPPON

Polly Rippon is a former regional daily newspaper reporter and news editor with 20 years’ experience in journalism and media relations.

She worked in the newspaper industry as a news reporter, court specialist and news editor. She was night editor at The Star in Sheffield where she worked for 13 years. During that time she covered high-profile stories including the Hillsborough inquests in Warrington, numerous homicide trials, the Rotherham abuse scandal, the Cliff Richard privacy case and the disappearance in Greece of the British toddler Ben Needham. She has many years’ experience covering the courts and has successfully challenged reporting restrictions.

Polly was involved in implementing the digital transformation of the newsroom at The Star, assisting reporters to move from a print workflow to digital-first publication.

Before working at The Star Polly was a deputy news editor at the Rotherham Advertiser and a health reporter and news editor at the Wakefield Express.

She has also worked in media relations for the NHS and Sheffield Hallam University and has given media training to academics, local authority staff and European police detectives at the Metropolitan Police Training College. She continues to write freelance pieces for national titles.