Barry McIlheney obit

Empire Magazine Founding Editor Barry McIlheney Dies, Aged 65

 He was not on the list.

It is with great sadness that we bring you the news Empire Magazine's founding editor, Barry McIlheney, has died at the age of 65. The Belfast-born journalist, editor, publisher, broadcaster, and one-time vocalist for Northern Irish post-punk band Shock Treatment passed away in his sleep in the early hours of yesterday morning, it has been confirmed.

Colin McIlheney shared the news of his brother's death on Facebook this morning, writing the following: "It is with a very heavy heart that I have to share the news that my brother Barry died unexpectedly and peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of yesterday morning, Monday 26th May at his home in Spain. This has come as a terrible shock to our family and especially to Lola, Frankie and Mary. We all loved Barry very much and I shared a close bond with him [...] He will be very much missed by us all."

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 13 May, 1960, Barry McIlheney first made an impact on the world of popular culture as a singer for Shock Treatment, a punk band whose popularity on the live music scene led to gigs rubbing shoulders with the likes of U2 and The Skids. McIlheney's love for music led to stints writing for local newspapers and Melody Maker in the early eighties, before becoming the editor of Smash Hits magazine in 1986, presiding over the golden years of the music outlet.

From there, McIlheney — following a suggestion from old Smash Hits colleague Dave Hepworth about making a film-based publication — would go on to become the founding editor of Empire Magazine in 1989, enjoying a three-year reign at the helm of Empire in which our identity as the world's biggest and best movie magazine was forged. Across those early years, McIlheney launched issues featuring cover stars from Michael Keaton to Michelle Pfeiffer, Bruce Willis to Julia Roberts, and Tom Cruise to Spike Lee, always with the promise of delivering reviews and features on every big cinema and home entertainment release from day one.

As part of our 400th issue celebration back in 2022, McIlhenney contributed a reflection on the magazine and what it meant to him, writing: "The movie is always bigger than the star. That was one of the golden house rules laid down for the launch of Empire, and the only defence I can offer to today’s jury for the otherwise inexplicable decision to put Dennis Quaid on the cover. The movie on this particular occasion — the Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls Of Fire — was actually deemed to be A Big Deal at the time, even if time has been less kind to the film in general and poor Dennis in particular. Some of the other founding father principles are in there too. The big interview with the big name of the day, in this case David Puttnam. The insider look behind the challenges of filming in London. The refusal to take ourselves too seriously with a short history of the submarine in the movies. And, crucially, the promise of hundreds of films — and videos! — reviewed and rated inside. Our mission statement at the time, though we would never have called it that back then, was “at last the movies get the magazine they deserve”. I like to think it was a promise we lived up to in those halcyon days of 1989, and a promise that holds true to this day."

For helping give movies the magazine they deserved, for setting the standard which each of us here at Empire strive to live up to every day, and for all that you have done for us, we thank you Barry McIlheney. You will be remembered as a creative beacon for the publishing industry, and as a man beloved by friends, family, and colleagues alike. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the McIlheney family and all of Barry's friends at this time.

After a brief spell in local newspapers and at Melody Maker magazine, McIlheney was appointed editor of Smash Hits in 1986, seeing its circulation double to 800,000 during his time in the job.  From there he moved on to become editor of Empire magazine, which was launched in May 1989. He was the managing editor of the UK version of Premiere magazine when it was launched in September 1992.

In 1994, McIlheney became managing director of EMAP Metro, publishers of Empire and Smash Hits, as well as other titles such as Q and Mojo, and just after they had acquired FHM. In 1999 he launched Heat and a year later became chief executive of EMAP Elan, publishers of Elle, Red, and The Face. In 2003, McIlheney moved into new product development, overseeing the launch of Zoo both in the UK and Australia.

At the end of 2006, McIlheney moved to a consultancy role, working on new titles at EMAP. In January 2008 he became editor-in-chief at Sport Media Group. Responsible for a £1 million relaunch in April 2008 of their newspaper titles, the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport, McIlheney left the role the following July after a decline in sales, to another post within the company. In 2009 he launched media consultancy mcilheneybovis with newspaper art director Julian Bovis and wrote for publications including The Word magazine.