Archant Suffolk’s two long-serving daily editors are to be awarded honorary fellowships by University Campus Suffolk later this year.

Terry Hunt and Nigel Pickover (pictured right) took over as editors of the East Anglian Daily Times and Evening Star respectively on the same day back in 1996.

They willbe joined by Suffolk-born EastEnders actress June Brown– Dot Brannan (Cotton) to her fans – and Ipswich Town chief executive Simon Clegg in receiving the honorary doctorates at graduation ceremonies later this year.

Terry is a Suffolk lad born and bred who was an 11-plus pupil at Framlingham College and studied at Reading University before joining the EADT in 1979.

After working at Hadleigh, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe, and covering sport for the old Suffolk Mercury, Terry joined the newsdesk in Ipswich and rose through the ranks to become news editor and then editor of the Star before switching to the EADT.

Over recent years the scope of the EADT has expanded, with new supplements and sections being added to persuade readers that it is the only morning newspaper they need to buy.

The EADT’s ink is coursing through his veins – he’s often said that if he wasn’t editing the paper he’d still be its keenest reader!

He’s looking forward to the ceremony, saying: “The opening of a university in my home county of Suffolk was the realisation of an ambition for me, so to be honoured by that self-same university in this way is a tremendous honour.”

Nigel is a Johnny-come-lately to Suffolk, but says that after nearly 18 years in his adopted county he’s on his way to being accepted as “local.”

Under his stewardship the Star has become one of the most successful titles in the regional press – winning a string of national titles and a unique hat-trick of Newspaper of the Year gongs on the UK stage.

He is a forthright campaigner on issues that affect local people – and battled hard for the establishment of the university that is now honouring him.

Under him The Star uncovered the damning stories which led to a public inquiry and major changes in to the failing East Anglian Ambulance Service.

Recently, the title has also fought and won a battle to save elective heart surgery in Ipswich and launched an all-out fight which resulted in survival of the Blue Cross animal home near Felixstowe.

It has also led community-based campaigns like building a new football pavilion in memory of murdered Trimley teenager Vicky Hall and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for projects through its annual appeals.

Nigel said: “I might not have lost the northern twang to my voice, but I feel as if Suffolk is really home now and this honour from the fantastic new university in my adopted county is wonderful recognition for what we have achieved at the Star over the last 15 years.”

An avid user of Twitter, he said he is particularly proud that The Star has been an online pioneer – and that much of his current thinking goes into developing the Star into a brand delivered by new and exciting means.