Michael Wynn Jones, a British journalist, author, and publisher known for his contributions to magazine publishing and social history, has died at the age of 85. Born on September 17, 1941, in south Wales, Wynn Jones carved out a diverse career spanning journalism, authorship, and football club ownership.
Educated at Lancing College and Worcester College, Oxford, where he studied classics, Wynn Jones began his career writing theatre reviews for the university newspaper. By the mid-1960s, he was contributing to and eventually editing for Nova magazine. In 1969, he became deputy editor of The Spectator, where he made headlines for authorizing a controversial 1971 article that questioned Princess Anne’s private life. The ensuing backlash led to the resignation of the magazine’s literary editor and contributed to Wynn Jones’s departure shortly thereafter.
Wynn Jones’s career featured a blend of editorial and entrepreneurial successes. He served as deputy editor of a midweek Daily Mirror colour magazine, where he played a role in assembling a team of writers including Keith Waterhouse and Eve Pollard. It was during this period that he famously encountered Delia Smith, a novice cookery writer introduced by literary agent Debbie Owen. Recognizing her potential, Wynn Jones took charge of her work, and the professional relationship soon blossomed into a personal one; the couple married in 1971 and remained partners until his passing.
Together, Wynn Jones and Smith built a significant publishing enterprise. They co-founded New Crane Publishing, responsible for launching Sainsbury’s Magazine in 1993, a glossy food and lifestyle publication that grew from an in-house promotional tool into a title with monthly sales exceeding 325,000 copies. The couple benefited financially from the magazine’s success, which not only earned royalties but also retained advertising revenues, a substantial portion coming from the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain.
Beyond publishing, Wynn Jones and Smith were deeply involved with Norwich City Football Club, where they were majority shareholders for 26 years. Their financial investment helped save the club from bankruptcy, and they were known for engaging closely with fans, often attending matches in the stands rather than in exclusive directors’ areas. Wynn Jones expressed concern in later years about the commercialization of football and the influence of global investment in the sport.
As an author, Wynn Jones wrote several social histories, often illustrated with satirical and historical artwork. Notable works include The Cartoon History of Britain (1971), A Newspaper History of the World (1974), and biographies of prominent satirists like George Cruikshank. His fascination with media and history informed much of his writing, exploring how newspapers both recorded and shaped events.
Wynn Jones was also recognized for his editorial reinvention of the insurance publication Lloyd’s Log in 1985, incorporating contributions from writers such as John Mortimer and Libby Purves. Later, he edited a compilation, In Memoriam (1991), reflecting on the decline of traditional British institutions and customs.
Known for his dry wit and practical advice to journalists, Wynn Jones was described by contemporaries as a charming and talented figure within British media. Despite his wife Delia Smith's renown as a television cookery personality and author, Wynn Jones remained actively involved in their shared passion for food, often preparing meals himself.
Michael Wynn Jones’s legacy is marked by his contributions to journalism, publishing innovation, and sports club stewardship, alongside a lifelong partnership with Delia Smith. He died on September 28, 2026.