Michael Coveney steps down as WhatsOnStage theatre critic

After ten years working at the forefront of WhatsOnStage, Michael Coveney has announced he will step down as a theatre critic for the site this April.

Coveney commented: "The tenth anniversary of my appointment at WhatsOnStage looms in early April, and I've felt for some time that this would be the right moment to take a step back from the reviewing hurly-burly while I'm still enjoying the job so much and WhatsOnStage goes from strength to strength. I'm delighted that my colleagues, Chief Operating Officer Sita McIntosh and Managing Editor Daisy Bowie-Sell, have invited me to remain associated with the company and I shall be contributing articles on an occasional basis in the future. Meanwhile, I shall be continuing to write books and to go to the theatre, happy that WhatsOnStage has become such an important hub for new critical writing around the country."

WhatsOnStage's Chief Operating Officer Sita McIntosh said: "Michael has been a brilliant friend and collaborator over many years, and we are honoured to have had him lead our reviewing team for the past decade. We will greatly miss his experience and expertise with his daily reviews and column, but look forward to continuing our association with him for many years to come."

Coveney began working for WhatsOnStage in 2006 and has since reviewed countless productions up and down the country. One of the UK's most respected drama critics, he has been writing about theatre for four decades and has written several books including a recent biography of Maggie Smith and critical biographies of Mike Leigh and Andrew Lloyd Webber. He has worked as editor of Plays and Players, and as staff critic on the Financial Times, Observer and Daily Mail.

The company will appoint his successor shortly.