The Steeple Times

Tag: newspapers

  • Invitation – An Evening With Esteemed Author & Crusading Journalist Peter Jukes

    Invitation – An Evening With Esteemed Author & Crusading Journalist Peter Jukes

    Matthew Steeples invites you to an evening with ‘Waking The Dead’ writer and co-founder of ‘Byline Times’ Peter Jukes on 20th May 2026 at PJ’s Chelsea Brasserie, London

    Matthew Steeples of The Steeple Times

    invites you to

    An evening with author, screenwriter, playwright and journalist Peter Jukes

    Writer: ‘Holby City’, ‘The Inspector Lynley Mysteries’ and ‘Waking The Dead’

    Author: ‘A Shout in the Street’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Murdoch’

    Podcaster: ‘Untold: The Daniel Morgan Murder Exposed’

    Co-founder: ‘Byline Times’

    The Steeple Times – Discussion and Dinner

    at PJ’s Chelsea Brasserie, 52 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HH

    on Wednesday 20th May 2026

    THE EVENING

    * Arrivals for a Prosecco reception in a private setting on the first floor of PJ’s Chelsea Brasserie from 6.30pm. Those arriving earlier are welcome to enjoy a drink at the ground floor PJ’s bar.

     

    * Matthew Steeples in conversation with Peter Jukes at 7pm prompt with audience questions to follow for 30 minutes. The format will be similar to our previous discussions with amongst others biographer and true crime legend Geoffrey Wansell, Britain’s best known crime correspondent Martin Brunt of Sky News, actor, writer and producer Steven Berkoff, filmmaker Amanda Eliasch, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York author Andrew Lownie and Manhunt and Crime Suspect host Peter Bleksley. There will be an opportunity for questions.

     

    * 3-course dinner with wine, with options for those with particular dietary requirements, to follow. Guests will have the opportunity to chat with Peter Jukes and Matthew Steeples during the dinner.

     

    * After dinner, guests will be welcome to continue discussions downstairs at the legendary PJ’s bar for further cocktails and conversation.

     

    PETER JUKES

    Swindon born Peter Jukes graduated from Queens’ College, Cambridge with a double first in English. A self-declared “Jack of all trades,” Peter’s early plays were performed by Tilda Swinton and Johanna Scalon and his contemporaries at the Cambridge Footlights numbered Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson.

     

    During a veritable and varied career, here is a personable polymath who has worked as a journalist, playwright, screenwriter, literary critic and author. Aside from being lauded as an expert in the art of dark comedy, on television and radio, Peter is primarily known for his work in the field of crime thrillers and medical dramas. Credits have included The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Waking the Dead and Sea of Souls. His opening episode of the third season of Holby City was described by The Guardian as “the televisual equivalent of crack” whilst his 20-part series about the murder of the British private investigator Daniel Morgan topped the UK iTunes podcast chart.

     

    Delving into the phone hacking scandal took Peter down a rabbit hole that resulted in him becoming the first person to ‘live tweet’ a trial on his iPad (with the permission of the presiding judge, Mr Justice Saunders). After spending nearly 9 months doing this in 2013 and 2014 and having written a book about the paradoxes of the News Corp head honcho, Rupert Murdoch, titled The Fall of the House of Murdoch, in 2012, he co-founded the crusading investigative title Byline Times in 2012.

     

    The work of Peter Jukes and his colleagues on topics ranging from Brexit and Cambridge Analytic to Jeffrey Epstein’s expressed desire to establish a church for “confession privilege” have resulted in Byline Times being described as a “counter-balance to the billionaire dominated British press.”

     

    BOOKING

    Tickets are priced at £85 per person and include a glass of Prosecco on arrival and half a bottle of either red or white wine per person with dinner.

     

    To pay by bank transfer, please use the details below or alternatively please make a transfer of £85 per ticket to the account listed below by clicking the following link:

     

    https://monzo.com/pay/r/longreach-publishing-limi_DdsyWL3XaZuiuw

     

    Account name: Longreach Publishing Limited

    Bank: Monzo

    Sort code: 04-00-06

    Account number: 90607601

     

    Tickets can only be purchased in advance and guest names must be supplied for allocated place settings. The deadline for booking is 6pm on Tuesday 19th May 2026. Tickets are issued on a non-refundable basis.

     

    MENU

    The ticket price includes a glass of Prosecco on arrival, ½ a bottle of either red or white wine per person and a three course meal.

     

    STARTERS

    PRAWN TEMPURA soy and sesame sauce

    TUNA TARTARE avocado, chilli, lime, toasted sesame, soy sauce

    SCOTCH BEEF CARPACCIO wild rocket, parmesan, mustard dressing

    CRISPY FRIED ARTICHOKES caper and herb mayonnaise

     

    MAINS

    THE PJ’S BURGER 8oz patty, mature cheddar cheese, bacon, iceberg lettuce, pickle, smoked crackling mayonnaise, fries

    CHICKEN MILANESE wild rocket, artichoke and reggio cheese salad, toasted sesame, tahini honey dressing

    TUFFLE LINGUINE mushroom and truffle veloute, created truffle and parmesan

    MISO SALMON bok choi, lemongrass rice, jalapeño, and spring onion mayonnaise

     

    PUDDINGS

    CLASSIC CRÈME BRULEE

    BELGIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

    VANILLA CHEESECAKE raspberry compote

    SELECTION OF SORBETS & ICE CREAMS three scoops

     

    Follow Peter Jukes on Instagram at @pdjukes and on X at @peterjukes. Subscribe to ‘Byline Times’ by clicking here.

     

    Follow Matthew Steeples on X at @M_Steeples and The Steeple Times at @SteepleTimes.

     

    Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @mjs2781.

     

  • Jobbing Journalist Required in Rainham

    Jobbing Journalist Required in Rainham

    As coronavirus threatens to kill off print papers, a salaried opportunity for a journalist has arisen with a church in Rainham, Kent

    In April, The Guardian’s Roy Greenslade highlighted the ongoing decline of newspapers in the UK and suggested the coronavirus pandemic would only accelerate this. Going further we argued that this “epoch of change” would make us all the poorer, but, now, we can share a positive piece of news about the press.

     

    Highlighted this morning in the Guardian with the headline: “The good news: Kent church posts vacancy for journalist,” Harriet Sherwood reported that the St Margaret’s parish church in Rainham, Kent is “hiring a full-time journalist to help ‘build community life’ after a survey of parishioners found a demand for local news and communication.”

     

    In their advert for the £20,000 per year salaried post, the church announced:

     

    “For thousands of years, it is story telling which has kept communities together. Now, more than ever before we need someone like you to tell our stories so that we might stay together even when physically we are apart.”

     

    “Whether it’s telling the story of the local fish shop, how the restaurant owners are coping whilst shut or the history behind ‘The Oast’ House and what it’s doing now – we want a multi skilled, qualified journalist to join our staff team as soon as possible.”

     

    “Half of the stories you produce will focus on the local community – its people and groups, schools and new housing. The other half will focus on telling the story of the church, its people, purpose and history. You’ll also take a lead on all of our digital content including overseeing the live streaming of our services. We believe this is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in a local community through serious journalism.”

     

    The successful candidate will be expected to “originate and produce a wide variety of news and current affairs content for relevant output across the church’s digital platforms and to oversee St Margaret’s digital presence/profile” and will report to the vicar and church wardens.

     

    Of why they had decided to make such an appointment, the bishop of Tonbridge Simon Burton Jones, told the Guardian:

     

    “The shrinkage in local journalism as advertising gravitates online is already having really important consequences at community level. As local papers disappear … their long-standing and important links with their communities can be lost. Online alternatives like clickbait, lists, gossip and the like are no substitute for real journalism.”

     

    A closing date of 22nd June has been set for applications.

     

    Facebook: @TheSteepleTimes

    Instagram: @TheSteepleTimes

    Twitter: @SteepleTimes

     

    Jobbing Journalist Required in Rainham – As coronavirus threatens to kill off print papers, a salaried opportunity for a journalist has arisen with a church in Rainham, Kent.
    The vicar of St Margaret’s, Rainham Reverend Nathan Ward made headlines in April 2018 when it was revealed he was a member of the Magic Circle and performs illusions as part of his church services. ‘Kent Online’ remarked: “The new vicar of Rainham has a few tricks up his sleeves which could have his congregation crying hallelujah,” whilst Ward himself added: “I have been using magic and illusions within the church for many years now. I think it’s a great way of engaging people and also telling some of the stories you can find in the bible. It also allows me to remind people that church should be fun.”
  • Pricking Bonneville

    Pricking Bonneville

    Hugh Bonneville shares his views on the self-satisfied classes (more…)

  • PJS’ Sacrifice

    PJS’ Sacrifice

    Super-injunction on reporting of a story of a ‘celebrity’ threesome lifted (but for now the individual still cannot yet be named) (more…)

  • The death of print journalism

    The death of print journalism

    ‘The Independent’s’ closure signals the beginning of a trend (more…)

  • Harry Cole

    Harry Cole

    Harry ColeA former associate of Guido Fawkes’ Paul Staines, Harry Cole became The Sun’s Westminster correspondent in June 2015. (more…)

  • A tweet too far

    A tweet too far

    Her Majesty’s Prison Services ought to revoke fraudster Ben Fiberesima’s ability to use such sites as Twitter (more…)

  • David Sullivan

    David Sullivan

    Businessman and West Ham United shareholder David Sullivan (AKA “Dave Sullivan”)Cardiff born David Sullivan owned the Daily Sport and the Sunday Sport between 1986 and 2007. (more…)

  • You’re just a sex offender

    You’re just a sex offender

    One of Rolf Harris’ victims responds with her own song about this repugnant sex offender (more…)

  • Evgeny Lebedev

    Evgeny Lebedev

    evgeny lebedevThis “true romantic” and “Londongrad playboy” is the publisher of The Independent and the Evening Standard and also was involved in setting up the London Live television station. Evgeny Lebedev is the son of a billionaire ex-KGB agent and has been described as “a modern Machiavellian prince” and as having “a penchant for white silk suits”. He is accompanied by a wolfdog named Boris and resides between a “blacked out Belgravia flat” and a 30,000 square foot Umbrian castle that he’s renamed the Castello di Santa Eurasia. He also has co-owns an East End pub, The Grapes in Limehouse’s Narrow Street, with actor Sir Ian McKellen and has over 13,000 followers on Twitter.