Channel 4 executive Ian Katz finds love with widow of AA Gill

Mumsnet cofounder Justine Roberts earlier this year revealed that she had left her husband after being ‘hit like a tornado’ by love for someone else.

But Channel 4 executive Ian Katz has been stormed with a romantic hurricane of his own and is enjoying a ‘passionate’ relationship with Nicola Formby, 57, widow of celebrated writer A.A. Gill.

Speaking to Daily Mail columnist Richard Eden, a friend confirmed that the former Newsnight editor, 55, and his new beau are ‘very happy together and have been going out some time’.

The couple spent the Easter weekend at the Oxfordshire home of Formby’s close friend, the film producer Jemima Goldsmith.

South African former model Nicola married restaurant critic Gill, her boyfriend of 23 years, just weeks before his death in 2016 at the age of 62.

Nicola, whom Gill would describe in his columns as ‘the Blonde’, had twin sons with the writer.

The wordsmith also had two more children with his second wife, Amber Rudd, the former Home Secretary. His first wife – Cressida Connolly – is the daughter of writer Cyril Connolly.

Ian, who is chief content officer at Channel 4, has four children with Justine, whom he met while they were students at Oxford University.

In January, Richard also revealed that the Mumsnet founder, 55, was living with her new partner.

‘I just fell in love —although I don’t want to go into with who,’ she said. ‘Obviously, what happened was not planned or ideal. I wasn’t sitting there thinking, “I’ve got to get out of [this marriage]”‘, but, ‘[Love] literally hit me like a tornado.

‘I’m sure menopause has something to do with that — you put your head up a bit from nurturing your children, you’re a little less tired and you think, “Actually, I may have half a life left.”

‘It was subliminal in my case, but I was open to another way of living and another relationship.’

South African former model Nicola (pictured in 2012) married restaurant critic Gill, her boyfriend of 23 years, just weeks before his death in 2016 at the age of 62

Ian (pictured last year) was previously the deputy editor of the Guardian and editor of Newsnight on BBC Two before he left to join Channel 4 in 2017

Their separation, she previously told the Daily Telegraph, ‘was traumatic and disruptive’ – because ‘we’re not as a society set up to believe that separation and divorce is anything other than failure’.

Justine told the outlet that she and Ian ‘had a fantastic time’ – and called their partnership ‘the best of marriages’.

The pair separated in 2019 after 30 years together.

Ian was previously the deputy editor of the Guardian and editor of Newsnight on BBC Two before he left to join Channel 4 in 2017. 

Mumsnet, which was founded in 2000, is an online forum offering advice for middle-class parenting dilemmas. 

Justine Roberts, co-founder of parenting website Mumsnet, recently revealed she left her husband after being ‘hit like a tornado’ by love for someone else (pictured in 2015)

It calls itself ‘the UK’s most popular website for parents’ and aims to make parents’ lives ‘easier’. 

It features blog-style content, product reviews and community forums to talk about issues facing parents and boasts eight million monthly visitors. In 2018 the business generated £8.6million in revenue.

The website has met with controversy in recent years after The New York Times described it as ‘transphobic’ due to discussion on the ‘Feminism: Sex and Gender’ topic. 

Some have argued stricter moderation is necessary but Mumsnet saw a loss in advertising following the backlash. 

Last May, Justine put Mumsnet users’ questions to then Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to 10 Downing Street.

She has also appeared on the Today programme for a discussion about proposals to drop former PM Liz Truss’ free childcare plans. 

Ian declined to comment at the time.