John Leslie (television presenter)
| John Leslie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 February 1965 Edinburgh |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Television presenter, property developer |
| Known for | Blue Peter, Wheel of Fortune (UK game show) and This Morning |
John Leslie (born John Leslie Stott on 22 February 1965) is a Scottish former television presenter. He presented BBC One's Blue Peter and ITV's This Morning and the ITV gameshow Wheel of Fortune. He was also the roving reporter for the first series of the UK version of Survivor. He currently works as a property developer in his native Edinburgh.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Personal life
John Leslie Stott was born in Edinburgh, the brother of Grant Stott. He attended Liberton High School and James Gillespie's High School. He spent his early years in the church choir and studied music on leaving school and worked as a DJ in Copenhagen. His first television work was on Yorkshire Television when he hosted Music Box's all-night music show, Formula One, in 1989. Prior to his television career he worked as a DJ in nightclubs in Edinburgh[2] and Newcastle.
In the move to television, Leslie dropped his last name of "Stott" while working at the Edinburgh nightclub The Amphitheatre, after being told by nightclub DJ Ray Hollis that many people might have a problem pronouncing it.
[edit] Blue Peter
On 20 April 1989 Leslie became Blue Peter's first Scottish presenter, and also the tallest at 6'4".[3] He was the second Blue Peter presenter to take part in the London Marathon, following Peter Duncan. Despite training with athlete Steve Cram, he found the run strenuous. He finished in four hours, thirty-six minutes.
On his last show he was set John's Final Challenge which involved abseiling down BBC Television Centre, completing a velcro and wheelbarrow obstacle course, then trampolining and conducting an orchestra in the studio.
Leslie presented Blue Peter with Caron Keating, Yvette Fielding, Diane-Louise Jordan, Anthea Turner and Tim Vincent.
[edit] Rape allegations
 |
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010) |
In October 2002 Ulrika Jonsson wrote in her autobiography that a television presenter had raped her at the beginning of her career when she was his junior. Amid media speculation, Matthew Wright disclosed - supposedly by accident - on his television show The Wright Stuff, that Leslie was the alleged person. Jonsson refused to tell the public or the police whether the correct person had been named. Shortly afterwards, several other women made accusations relating to indecent assault by Leslie, who was arrested and charged with assaulting a woman twice between 25 May and 28 May 1997. He was never charged with offences against Jonsson.
The police dropped the charge against Leslie on 31 July 2003. On the court steps after his clearing, Leslie said that he had "been to hell and back" and that he had "maintained [his] innocence throughout". Leslie's career never recovered, although he and Wright did make light of the situation by appearing together in the video for Bo' Selecta's Christmas 2003 single "Proper Crimbo".
In January 2006 Leslie was interviewed for the BBC series My Childhood in which he analysed his childhood memories with psychiatrist Linda Treliving. In the programme Leslie admitted that he "had never learnt how to treat women with respect" and "never learnt how to chat up women", admitting that he abused drugs, but claiming he did so as a result of childhood trauma. Shortly afterwards in an interview with The Independent he repeated this version of events, admitting "my behaviour was at times inappropriate".[4][5]
On 23 June 2008 British media reported that Leslie had again been arrested in relation to an alleged rape that happened in November 1995.[6] However, again no charges were brought.[7]
[edit] Football
Leslie is also known for his affinity for football. He played in goal for the Scottish team in the Celebrity World Cup Soccer Six tournament which took place on 14 May 2006 at St. Andrew's, the home of Birmingham City.
He is a supporter of Hibernian.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ John Leslie: From scandal-hit celebrity to obscure property developer The Telegraph
- ^ Storr, Will (2006, February 23). "John Leslie: 'My behaviour was at times inappropriate'". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/john-leslie-my-behaviour-was-at-times-inappropriate-467496.html. Retrieved 2006-02-16. "During his teens, he says he was too obsessed with football and music to think about women. So when he left school, his career as a DJ playing in nightclubs with names like Cinderella-Rockerfellas took off and he was bombarded by amorous women, he says he suddenly found himself in a thrilling but completely alien world, the subtleties and social codes of which he'd never learnt"
- ^ Blue Peter - John Leslie profile
- ^ "John Leslie: 'My behaviour was at times inappropriate'". The Independent (London). 23 February 2006. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/john-leslie-my-behaviour-was-at-times-inappropriate-467496.html. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_1563952.html?menu=entertainment.television
- ^ Leslie quizzed on rape allegation
- ^ BBC News report on second set of charges being dropped
- ^ Beckham Backs Hibs Star Retrieved 26 June 2008
[edit] Bibliography
- Biography from the BBC's I Love Blue Peter website
- BBC News report on charges being dropped
- BBC News report on Matthew Wright's accidental naming of Leslie
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Mark Curry |
Blue Peter Presenter No. 18 1989-94 |
Succeeded by Tim Vincent |
| Preceded by Bradley Walsh |
Host of Wheel of Fortune 1998-2001 |
Succeeded by Paul Hendy |
| Preceded by Coleen Nolan and Twiggy |
Host of This Morning with Fern Britton 2001-2002 |
Succeeded by Phillip Schofield |
