Andreas Whittam Smith, co-founder of the Independent, dies aged 88

Sun, 30 Nov 2025

Journalist and editor also led British Board of Film Classification and served as senior lay member of the Church of England

Andreas Whittam Smith, the co-founder of the Independent newspaper and a former president of the British Board of Film Classification, has died aged 88.

Whittam Smith was also the first editor of the Independent and served as first church estates commissioner, the senior lay member of the Church of England, from 2002 to 2017.