BBC deputy editor to head Lonely Planet magazine

Peter Grunert, deputy editor at Top Gear magazine has been confirmed as the future editor for the new Lonely Planet magazine, to be published late in 2008.

Published by BBC Magazines and aimed at "open-minded, inquisitive people who have a real sense of adventure", the magazine will be one of BBC Magazine's top titles, and will go head to head with both the Times and Condé Naste as publishers.

Speaking about the pairing between the BBC and the Lonely Planet Nick Brett, BBC Magazines group editorial director, said: "Editorially, the two brands are a perfect match for each other.

"Lonely Planet has long wanted a magazine in its portfolio, which we can now provide, and the BBC has an array of travel programmes and talent that we can bring to the party."

BBC Worldwide, BBC Magazines' parent company, bought a 75 per cent stake in Lonely Planet in 2007, which sells over six million travel guides annually.

The recent announcement is the second piece of good news for the publishing arm, after Channel 4 was told last week that it could not have a stake in BBC Worldwide to plug its public service broadcast funding gap.

Channel 4 had been hoping for an injection of £150 million, but the decision was deemed both too complex and financially unnecessary, protecting the multi-billion pound turnover for the time being.

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