After working at Us Weekly for nearly two years, Dan Wakeford confirmed Monday that he has stepped down as the Editor-in-Chief of the McClatchy Media publication in favor of adopting a new Editor-at-Large role.
“Last week marked my final week as Editor-in-Chief at Us Weekly,” Wakeford wrote Monday on LinkedIn. “I am proud of my achievements in modernizing the brand, restoring its relevance and authority and expanding its reach through vertical video and new subject areas over the past two years.”
“It has been rewarding (and fun!) to build a best-in-class team of journalists and produce exceptional work. I’m reluctant to leave completely while the brand is thriving,” Wakeford continued. The now-former Editor-in-Chief noted that he will serve as Us Weekly Editor-at-Large moving forward and will continue to helm the publication’s “Just Like Us” video interview series.
Wakeford originally announced his move in a memo sent to Us Weekly staffers in early December. In his LinkedIn post Monday, the editor stated his interest in exploring work outside of the “legacy media” world.
“I am eager to explore new adventures. I’m taking a brief pause to consider my next steps,” Wakeford wrote. “I’m eager to lend my expertise to creative projects as a consultant and would consider a full-time role if it’s the right fit.”
Wakeford was appointed Us Weekly’s Editor-in-Chief in March 2024. He arrived at the outlet after having served for one year as the Editor-in-Chief of the short-lived media startup The Messenger. Prior to that, Wakeford held the Editorial Director role at Entertainment Weekly for a year. From 2019-2022, he also worked as the Editor-in-Chief of PEOPLE Magazine.
Us Weekly has not yet announced a replacement Editor-in-Chief for Wakeford. Sarah Hearon still serves as the publication’s Editorial Director and Brody Brown and Stephanie Radvan remain on as Executive Editors.
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