Famous First Issues: The Daily Star

It's hard to believe now, but the launch of the Daily Star was big news. When this first issue appeared on November 2, 1978, it was the first British national newspaper to launch for 75 years. Very much in the tradition of The Sun and the Daily Mirror, it was a mass-market tabloid (produced in Manchester, though that didn't last) and featured its very own version of the Page 3 Girl, The Starbird, who appeared across the whole of page 7 (Karen Richardson was the debut pin up). The cover story was about a non-fatal window plunge by model Kitty Percy, and other vital stories included nightclub boss Louis Brown skipping the wedding of Bruce Forsyth and Anthea Redfern, a boozy confession from Jimmy Geaves, a story about a vicar who likes to paint naked girls and the opportunity to double your wages to £100 a week. There are also letters of support from top celebrities like Stuart Hall, Cilla Black, Tom O'Connor, Tim Brooke-Taylor and... erm... Ronnie Dukes.