Max Clifford: downfall of Grub Street’s ultimate sleazeball

More than the story of one man’s hypocrisy: it’s another dagger-blow to Britain’s tabloid culture

robert_chesshyre002.jpg
(Image credit: 2014 Getty Images)

FOR AS LONG as most Britons can remember, publicist Max Clifford – now convicted of eight counts of indecent assault – has been part of the national furniture. Celebrities in need of image refurbishment turned to him as surely as the ill rich hasten to Harley Street.

Within hours of a media storm breaking, there would be Clifford – immaculate suit, not a silver hair out of place, honeyed tones – alongside his client. The following Sunday one of the red-top papers would run a large, sympathetic spread about the client. The puppet master had once again pulled the right strings.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Robert Chesshyre writes regularly on police culture and is a former US correspondent of The Observer. His books include ‘The Force: Inside the Police’ and 'When the Iron Lady Ruled Britain''.