THE TIMES

THE WORD IS HALDANE

/ Alikivi

Former Shields Gazette graphic artist David Haldane established himself as one of the top cartoonists in the world. Blyth born David, now 70, worked for the Gazette from 1977 to 1983, he currently creates cartoons for The Observer and Private Eye and had his work regularly produced in Punch, The Express, Mirror, Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail and the Sunday Times. He also contributed sketches to the original TV series Spitting Image.

However, it is for producing cartoons for The Times from 2005 until 2017 that David made his mark, transforming him into one of the best cartoonists in the world.

South Shields playwright Ed Waugh has been asked to host an evening in conversation with David at The Word in South Shields on Wednesday September 24th at 1pm. He said:  “I’ve known David for 20 years or so and he’s both very sharp and very funny. You have to be to create top-class satirical cartoons every day, often at very short notice, for national newspaper front pages.”

He added: “David’s career stories are both deep and hilarious. It will be a fantastic event for people who want a laugh and those who want to find out about some of the stories behind the many thousands of tremendous cartoons David has created and had published.”  

The event follows his sold-out illustrated talks at the prestigious Lit & Phil in Newcastle and Blyth Library. The talk on Wednesday, September 24 at 1pm is part of The Word’s WRITE Festival. 

Tickets for In Conversation With David Haldane at The Word cost only £3 and can be bought on line >>> https://theworduk.org/whats-on/top-cartoonist-david-haldane-in-conversation-with-ed-waugh/ or via (0191) 4271818.

Link to previous interview with David in June 2025 >>>

COMIC STRIP PRESENTS Northumberland cartoonist David Haldane | ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK CULTURE 

DRAWING NEWCASTLE’S LIT & PHIL – with Blyth born cartoonist David Haldane

/ Alikivi
David Haldane appearing at the Lit & Phil, Newcastle on 23 April 2025.

David Haldane’s work has appeared in a number of national newspapers including Punch, The Express, Mirror, Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail and The Times. On Wednesday 23rd April he is booked at Newcastle’s Lit &Phil where he will be sharing stories from his life.

Now living in Morpeth he said “It’s been an incredible 50 or so years learning about drawing cartoons and then creating them for the leading newspapers and magazines in the country.”

Born in 1954, David started his career in the 70s working for the Shields Gazette “I was working for the art department at the Gazette. I received my first pay packet there, every Friday, in cash. It was so busy with three editions of the paper every day. It was like Fleet Street!”

During the 1980s David contributed sketches to the original series of Spitting Image. Now retired from The Times, his latest cartoons regularly appear in the satirical magazine Private Eye.

Playwright Ed Waugh is hosting the evening at the Lit & Phil “I’ve known David for over 20 years and he’s both very sharp and very funny. You have to be to create top-class satirical cartoons every day, often at very short notice, for national newspaper front pages”.

He continued “David’s career stories are both deep and hilarious. It will be a fantastic evening for people who want a laugh and those who want to find out about some of the stories behind the many thousands of tremendous cartoons David has created and had published.” 

Tickets for the Lit & Phil are only £5 and can be bought on line 

https://www.litandphil.org.uk/event/david-haldane-in-conversation-with-ed-waugh/ 

or via (0191) 232 0192.

The Blyth Library event is on Monday, May 12, and tickets are available from 

Blyth Library – David Haldane In Conversation with Ed Waugh Tickets, Mon, May 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

David will also be staging his ‘Evening With’ at The Word, South Shields on September 24 and at Gosforth Civic Theatre on September 30.

Alikivi  April  2025