Neil Wilkes to leave Digital Spy

Neil Wilkes, the co-founder and longstanding editor of entertainment news website Digital Spy , is to leave the company next year. Wilkes, who co-founded Digital Spy in early 1999, said that he was making the "very, very tough" decision not to renew his contract with the business beyond March. "As things stand, my employment contract with the company is due to expire at the end of this year," he said in an email to staff. "Now, as you all know I love Digital Spy very dearly, it's been my baby for almost 12 years!, but I have made the very, very tough decision not to renew my contract beyond next March." Wilkes, who is credited with co-founding Digital Spy with a team including systems administrator James Welsh , sold the website in 2008 to Hachette Filipacchi UK, the magazine publisher behind titles including Red, Elle and Inside Soap. "This announcement is being made well in advance, I realise, but the wheels will soon be put in motion to find my replacement," he said. "However I want to clarify and stress that, for the next five and a bit months, I will continue to be the editor of Digital Spy – I will be around as much as I am now, doing all the things I do now, and doing the best I can to look after your interests." Anna Jones, the digital and dtrategy director of Hachette Filipacchi, said: "As editor and co-founder of Digital Spy, Neil has been central to the site's enormous success and we are sad to see him go. However, we are very excited about the recruitment process and have a shortlist of formidable candidates for the editor role from across the entertainment media spectrum. We are continuing to invest in Digital Spy, building on its new look, which was unveiled in May." In May, Digital Spy received its first major website overhaul in four years , following investment from Hachette Filipacchi. The refreshed website aimed to give more of a multimedia experience and "a cleaner, less cluttered and more structured environment". • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".