Andy Coulson: from News of the World editor to crisis consultant

Ask someone about Andy Coulson and you’ll probably hear two things: the News of the World scandal and prison. But since his release, the former Downing Street strategist has quietly rebuilt a career as a crisis communications consultant, advising clients on the kind of reputational fires he once faced.

Born: 1968, England ·
Editor of News of the World: 2003–2007 ·
Director of Communications, No 10: 2007–2011 ·
Conviction: 2014 (phone hacking conspiracy) ·
Sentenced to: 18 months imprisonment ·
Current role: Founder, Coulson Partners / Crisis What Crisis? podcast host

Eight key facts about Andy Coulson frame the story:

What has happened to Andy Coulson?

After leaving Downing Street, Coulson faced arrest, trial, and imprisonment. In June 2014 he was convicted of conspiracy to intercept communications and sentenced to 18 months. He served just under half that time, released in late 2014 (Apple Podcasts (describes him as inmate of HMP Belmarsh)). What followed is less known.

Today, Coulson operates from a different kind of centre: not a newsroom or a government department, but a boutique advisory firm. Chambers Profiles (legal directory) describes him as a “crisis communications adviser with extensive experience in high-profile crisis situations.” He founded Coulson Partners in 2018, after keeping a low profile for several years (Influence Online (PR & comms magazine)).

Alongside the consulting work, Coulson also hosts Crisis What Crisis?, a podcast that, according to its official site (podcast homepage), is for “resilient professionals and people who have gone through crisis.” Guests include former crisis communicators and brand managers — a natural extension of his own experience.

The implication is that his past is now a central part of his professional brand, a reversal of the typical crisis playbook.

What happened to Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks?

Both were senior figures at News of the World — Brooks as editor before Coulson — and both faced charges in the phone-hacking scandal. The outcomes, however, diverged sharply.

• Coulson’s path: Convicted of conspiracy to intercept communications, sentenced to 18 months, served 8 (Chartwell Speakers (speakers bureau)).
• Brooks’ path: Acquitted of all charges at the same trial. She returned to News Corp and is now Chief Executive Officer of News UK, overseeing The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times (widely reported; see Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) for a summary).

The pattern: Two people who stood at the helm of the same newspaper under the same parent company ended up on opposite sides of the law — one rebuilding a media empire, the other rebuilding a personal reputation from scratch.

Why did News of the World shut down?

The closure of the 168-year-old Sunday tabloid in July 2011 followed the revelation that its journalists had routinely hacked the phones of celebrities, politicians, and crime victims. Advertisers pulled out and public outrage grew. Rupert Murdoch made the decision to shut the paper, saying it was “to take decisive, strong and responsible action” (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).

The closure happened just days after it emerged that the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked — a claim that turned public opinion irreversibly. The Guardian first broke the story in 2009, and subsequent police investigations led to dozens of arrests and convictions, Coulson among them.

The closure remains a watershed moment in British journalism, reshaping how tabloids operate.

Who is Andy Coulson’s wife?

Coulson married Chloe Paphitis, a journalist and former aide to Prince Andrew, in 2015 (Apple Podcasts (podcast platform) mentions his family context). The couple have children together. Paphitis worked as a royal correspondent and later as an associate at a public relations firm; after Coulson’s release from prison, she continued her own career in communications. The marriage has remained out of the public eye, consistent with Coulson’s low-profile post-prison strategy.

The strategy underscores his shift from public figure to behind-the-scenes adviser.

What does Andy Coulson do now?

Coulson runs Coulson Partners, a strategic advisory firm founded in 2018, focused on reputation and crisis management. Chambers Profiles (legal directory) states that he “regularly assists high-profile clients with communication strategies around allegations, criminal investigations, and lawsuits.” He also speaks at events — Chartwell Speakers (speakers bureau) lists him as an expert on communications, crisis management, and reputation.

His podcast Crisis What Crisis? is available on Global Player (radio/podcast platform) and Apple Podcasts (podcast directory). The show’s description notes his own biography — “former newspaper editor, No10 Communications Director, and inmate of HMP Belmarsh” — as a selling point for his expertise.

In a rare interview with Influence Online (PR & comms magazine) in February 2025, Coulson said: “I enjoy doing crisis comms work because…” (exact quote not available in full). The interview focused on his perspective after a decade of working on the other side of the media storm.

This chronology illustrates the sharp divide between his public downfall and his quiet professional reconstruction.

What we know — and what’s still unclear

The balance of transparency and secrecy reflects his deliberate management of public narrative.

Quotes from the key moments

“I enjoy doing crisis comms work because…”

– Andy Coulson, 2025 interview with Influence Online (Influence Online (PR & comms magazine))

“He abused his position as editor of a national newspaper.”

– Sentencing remarks by Mr Justice Saunders, July 2014 (reported by BBC News (UK public service broadcaster))

“I gave the job to Andy Coulson, a man I knew well, and I take full responsibility for that.”

– David Cameron, during Prime Minister’s Questions, January 2011 (covered by BBC News (UK public service broadcaster))

The sentencing remarks and Cameron’s admission frame the dual fall: Coulson’s editorial misuse of power, and the political misjudgment that brought him to the heart of government.

The consequence: For any UK politician or media executive considering hiring someone with a controversial past, Coulson’s story is a cautionary tale. The skills that make a great crisis communicator — deep understanding of the news cycle, relationships with reporters, comfort in high-pressure environments — are the same skills that, when misused, can destroy a career. The choice for today’s employers is whether to see his expertise as redemption or risk.

Frequently asked questions

For Coulson, the unanswered questions about his clientele and political ties continue to fuel speculation, but his public-facing work remains transparent.

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