Jay Rayner, one of Britain’s most prominent restaurant critics, is leaving The Observer after 25 years amid an escalating backlash against the sale of the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper to Tortoise Media.
Sky News understands that Mr Rayner will join the Financial Times to write restaurant reviews for its Weekend edition.
He is understood to have decided to leave The Observer amid what one insider described as “growing turmoil” at Guardian Media Group over the title’s sale.
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Known for his excoriating criticism of restaurants which fail to pass muster, Mr Rayner is arguably The Observer’s highest-profile writer.
A Guardian spokesperson said: “Jay Rayner has entertained readers for 25 years with his restaurant reviews and we wish him all the best with his new role.”
Mr Rayner declined to comment when contacted by Sky News.
His exit comes just 10 days before Guardian and Observer journalists are due to go on strike over the Tortoise deal, which many of them argue is ill-conceived and a betrayal of what they believe to be a commitment to protect the Sunday title.
Tortoise, which was co-founded by the former Times editor James Harding, has pledged to retain the newspaper’s focus on areas such as the arts and culture, and said it would invest £25m in it over a five-year period.
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The Scott Trust, the Guardian’s ultimate owner, has committed to retaining a small stake in The Observer if the deal goes ahead.
On Monday, the board of the Scott Trust will meet to discuss whether to continue backing GMG’s plan to sell the Sunday title.