Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how Liz Jones has a career

75 replies

BewaretheIckabog · 30/12/2023 20:09

She seems incredibly self-centred but lacks any self-awareness.

Her writing is poor and her use of punctuation is interesting.

Does she have any serious journalistic background or does she just write ‘woe is me’ stuff in the DM?

She’s not witty, self-deprecating or funny and does not seem to have any opinions, convictions or interests that readers would follow.

OP posts:
ClottedCreamScone · 31/12/2023 11:31

She’s rage-bait. People read her articles and think ‘nobody could be this self centred and idiotic’ and of course they aren’t - she’s putting out an infuriating persona to generate engagement for the daily mail.

Jk8 · 31/12/2023 11:35

ANightmareBeforeChristmas · 30/12/2023 20:29

The last time I was reading her column, some years ago, she was claiming to be hard up and about to be evicted from a cottage she'd spent a fortune refurbishing. It seemed extremely short-sighted to spend money doing up a rented cottage with high end designer fitments (lick of paint, sure, but new kitchen, no). I guess she must earn well as a journalist whose name is so well known - she's published books and probably got a celebrity-level advance on them.

Edited

Didn't she also put in heating including underfloor "because she worked from home" ?!? No wonder the landlords sold it, even if she could have taken some/all of it out with her the foundational work for setting it up would have been in place at a saving of £££'s & weeks of upheaval.

Seems crazy to think it wouldn't have happend 😦

AlienBabi · 31/12/2023 11:50

I really love Liz Jones, I grew up reading her as a teenager suffering from anorexia and I’ve followed her life since. She is relatable somehow even though her life seems far more lavish and successful than mine! Most recently listened religiously to her podcast with her assistant Nic and they were great, but she seemed so sad the last few episodes and then just disappeared altogether. I hope she is okay!

RainyDaysSundays · 31/12/2023 12:01

I don't think she's weak. I think she has a core of steel.

I think she has a massive ego.
Who else would believe people wanted to read about their lives?

As PPs said, she spent thousands changing fixtures and fitting on a rented farmhouse/ cottage (including central heating and new bathroom) then was evicted as the owner wanted to sell it.

But of course, depending on how many words she wrote, she'd have earned anything from £500-£2K.

MuckyPlucky · 31/12/2023 12:05

She has no filter

She is a drama llama (many of her columns add entitled things like: “in which I have a breakdown” or “in which my life comes almost to an end”…and yet the content is that she can’t get her pony to lose weight or can’t afford the upkeep on something ridiculous)

She is horrible in how she writes about others (in particular her exes, whom may have been exes for a reason but who don’t deserve public flogging. Unethical)

She appears vain, image obsessed and vacuous

She wears her MH issues of her younger years with a wiff of showing-off: no need to drop “briefly sectioned and anorexic” into some of the stuff she writes.

She appears to be a very bitter, angry, self-pitying person.

ImFloatingInAMostPeculiarWay · 31/12/2023 12:05

chompargh · 31/12/2023 11:15

Stop slagging her off then

Show quote history

I'm not "slagging her off" (I'm also not a 12 year old using such outdated and sexist phrases)

Everything I have written is what she has written, I'm not adding to anything

Ariela · 31/12/2023 12:23

I read her Exmoor Files book, and frankly thought it embarrassing. Too much slating of the ex, and not being sensitive enough to the natives amongst whom she lived.

ANightmareBeforeChristmas · 31/12/2023 12:34

She is horrible in how she writes about others (in particular her exes, whom may have been exes for a reason but who don’t deserve public flogging. Unethical)

I remember a couple of columns where she'd decided she fancied someone who had a girlfriend. She decided to pursue him because a girlfriend is not the same as a wife. She met him in a bar and he turned up with the girlfriend in tow - the vitriol about the girlfriend was unbelievable, she was young enough to be his daughter, she was boringly dressed, she was thick etc.

Similar when her ex-husband took up with someone new - the new woman had written a book about sex work in Thailand or somewhere, and had researched it by taking part in some of the sex-work - what a red flag to a bull that was for Liz, a whole column about her ex now being with a prostitute and so on.

Nanny0gg · 31/12/2023 12:36

Woush · 30/12/2023 20:44

The last time I read her column was when I bought the daily mail as an actual newspaper. Must have been 10-15 years ago.

I did enjoy her column - on the basis that she's a car crash waiting to happen.

I also liked the column by the journo who had loads of kids (4?) and a great dane dog. Can't remember her name, blonde hair, was it someone Candy?

Lorraine

Needmorelego · 31/12/2023 12:49

I've read Liz on and off for years. The poor woman has some severe mental health issues, is possibly autistic and (I think) the issue around her finances and pensions is to do with she isn't actually employed by the Daily Mail but is freelance or something - so she doesn't get employment benefits.
(I could be completely wrong about that)
I did feel very sad for her when she wanted to go to Australia to see her young nephew who was dying and she couldn't afford the flights.
I remember thinking couldn't the ruddy Daily Mail just help her out and pay for a flight.
All the brand names she drops into her articles are basically paid advertising (paid to the Mail I assume?).
I really don't understand though why she paid £1000s for a new kitchen in a rented house? Very odd decision.
I was randomly thinking about Lorraine Candy (mentioned upthread) the other day. I was wondering how old her kids are now. Little Henry who liked to wear his sister's nighties. Where is he now I wonder......

stillavid · 31/12/2023 13:00

There was an interview possibly in the times with her and her ex fairly recently - it was awful - such hatred from him in particular.

Bananalanacake · 31/12/2023 13:01

I also read that article yesterday with interest, especially the bit about having only 5.95 pounds until payday. I thought well why did you spend 50 grand doing up a property that wasn't yours?

tennissquare · 31/12/2023 13:03

@Needmorelego , Lorraine Candy is now self employed so puts her whole life on Instagram, she is currently skiing in Norway! The Postcards
from Midlife FB group is good but if you do that and MN and WIWIKAU FB you do see the same stuff again and again!

InAMess2023 · 31/12/2023 13:07

Local to Liz... let's just say she's not well liked! Hardly surprising the way she slates her neighbours in her columns. London is welcome to her... though she can't afford it which is why she's clinging so desperately to David (if he in fact exists).

No confirmation that the 'Rock Star' (imo also entirely fabricated) was Jim Kerr but rumours are he did have to employ a cease and desist on her when the rumours ramped up.

Terrribletwos · 31/12/2023 13:09

Used to read her column way back and enjoyed her style but over time she appeared to be very out of order and a bit crazy so I stopped reading. Also, a lot of her stories didn't add up. One minute she was skint, the next she was buying a property?!? Didn't relate after that.

Whiskeypowers · 31/12/2023 13:19

chompargh · 31/12/2023 11:15

Stop slagging her off then

Show quote history

I don’t think anyone slags Liz Jones off in quite the same way she does herself to be fair. As PP said she’s happy to put it all out there and it’s all for the money anyway isn’t it. She’s made a name for herself out of it. All this self pitying nonsense has eclipsed any of her previous journalistic achievements and not in a good way.

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 31/12/2023 13:21

@chompargh
How misogynistic to suggest that if a woman has a vaguely negative opinion of something, it must be caused by the nasty grasping emotion that is jealousy.
OP is perfectly capable of forming opinions that need more cerebral input than jealousy, I'm sure. And she asks a question, based on that opinion, requesting others' opinions so then can discuss.

And that's your input.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 31/12/2023 13:43

I have a friend who is a freelance journalist and knows a number of journalists who do the DM's "hopeless/vile woman" articles. Apparently the DM pays very well. I have always assumed that Liz Jones caricatures herself a bit because she can earn a decent wedge out of it.

I used to read her column when my mum got the Mail many years ago. I think she's a good writer, although I also think it's a shame that good female writers feel compelled to earn money in this way.

RestingMurderousFace · 31/12/2023 13:48

She was on Celebrity Big Brother years ago, I recall quite liking her on that.

Original poster
BewaretheIckabog · 31/12/2023 16:41

Certainly not jealous but maybe a bit intrigued.

Interesting point that she was putting her life, warts and all, out there before so many influencers did the same.

OP posts:
nettie434 · 31/12/2023 17:06

When she edited Marie Claire and was employed by the Daily Mail as a regular columnist, she was one of the best paid women journalists.

She does seem to have an astonishing capacity for self sabotage. Life has not turned out the way she expected and I think she finds that very hard. However, she does come across as someone who would betray any relationship if it meant more publicity.

NonPlayerCharacter · 31/12/2023 17:10

RainyDaysSundays · 31/12/2023 12:01

I don't think she's weak. I think she has a core of steel.

I think she has a massive ego.
Who else would believe people wanted to read about their lives?

As PPs said, she spent thousands changing fixtures and fitting on a rented farmhouse/ cottage (including central heating and new bathroom) then was evicted as the owner wanted to sell it.

But of course, depending on how many words she wrote, she'd have earned anything from £500-£2K.

Who else would believe people wanted to read about their lives?

But people do want to read about her life!

Poufpastry · 31/12/2023 17:14

I've met Liz several times and she's nicer, and quieter, than you might expect. I also know her 'assistant' Nic, who is one of the most patient people you could ever hope to meet. Liz is a little bit economical with the truth sometimes, for example the story of rescuing her collie dog, but that might also be allowed as poetic licence?

Joonio · 31/12/2023 17:22

Her favourite horse has just died I think only weeks after her sister.She wrote about that in the mail too.

piperatthegates · 01/01/2024 11:30

InAMess2023 · 31/12/2023 13:07

Local to Liz... let's just say she's not well liked! Hardly surprising the way she slates her neighbours in her columns. London is welcome to her... though she can't afford it which is why she's clinging so desperately to David (if he in fact exists).

No confirmation that the 'Rock Star' (imo also entirely fabricated) was Jim Kerr but rumours are he did have to employ a cease and desist on her when the rumours ramped up.

David definitely exists. Back in the day they did interviews together including photos.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page