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Conor McNicholas, currently editing IPC's music title NME, has been appointed as the new editor of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Top Gear magazine.

Top Gear magazine leapfrogged FHM last year as the UK's most widely read men's monthly (National Readership Survey) and recorded its 12th consecutive circulation increase in the most recent ABC results, selling more than twice the amount of its nearest competitor.

McNicholas claimed several industry awards during his tenure at NME including PPA Consumer Magazine Editor of the Year and the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) Entertainment Magazine Editor of the Year in 2005. He was this year elected Chairman of the BSME.

This is the second senior editorial appointment at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Magazines within a month, following the recent announcement that Ben Preston is to succeed Gill Hudson as Radio Times editor. McNicholas will take up the role in the next few months.

Top Gear's MD Adam Waddell said: "I'm delighted to have one of the leading lights of the entertainment publishing sector on board. The mix of entertainment and cars he'll bring, not to mention his award-winning editorial skills, are a perfect fit for Top Gear Magazine."

Conor McNicholas said: "Anyone who knows me knows that my twin passions are music and cars. To swap one dream job for another is a huge thrill. From Arctic Monkeys to Aston Martin, I'm looking forward to being at the heart of another iconic British multi-platform brand."

McNicholas replaces Michael Harvey, who stepped down as editor in April to pursue a freelance career whilst continuing to act as an editorial consultant on the title.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Top Gear magazine
Top Gear Magazine has a monthly circulation of 200,757 (ABC Jul-Dec 2008) and a readership of 1.9M, the biggest readership of any men's monthly. The magazine brings together the world’s foremost automotive photographers and journalists, including Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

About ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Magazines
³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Magazines publishes over 40 ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ consumer titles, including Top Gear, Good Food, Gardeners' World and Radio Times and many children's titles including In the Night Garden, CBeebies Weekly, and Doctor Who Adventures. There are now 44 licensed editions of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Magazines' titles across 55 territories internationally.

About Conor McNicholas
Conor McNicholas is an award-winning journalist who has edited NME since 2002. He previously edited dance title Muzik magazine and held senior editorial roles at Mixmag and Ministry. In 2005 McNicholas was named PPA's Consumer Magazine Editor of the Year and Entertainment Magazine Editor of the year at the British Society of Magazine Editor (BSME) Awards. He is currently Chairman of the BSME.

Phil Fleming/Toby Hicks