John Leslie (TV presenter)

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For other people named John Leslie, see John Leslie (disambiguation).
John Leslie
Born John Leslie Stott
(1965-02-22) 22 February 1965 (age 59)
Edinburgh
Nationality British
Occupation television presenter
property developer
Known for Blue Peter
Wheel of Fortune
This Morning

John Leslie (born John Leslie Stott; 22 February 1965) is a Scottish former television presenter turned property developer.[1] Debuting on Music Box in 1987, he later presented BBC One's Blue Peter, and ITV's This Morning and the gameshow Wheel of Fortune. He was also the studio host for the first series of the UK version of Survivor.

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 becoming resident at the famous Blu Bambu club.

Leslie is also known for a celebrity sex tape he filmed of his girlfriend, Abi Titmuss, having sex with another woman, which was originally a home movie but was made public.[2]

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.[3]

Television

Blue Peter

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Main article: Blue Peter

On 20 April 1989, Leslie became Blue Peter's first Scottish presenter, and also the tallest at 6'4".[4] He was the second Blue Peter presenter to take part in the London Marathon, following Peter Duncan. 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.[4]

Music and radio

In December 2003, Leslie appeared in the music video for the Christmas single "Proper Crimbo", released by Bo' Selecta! creator Leigh Francis, alongside Matthew Wright in a spoof of their presumed rivalry.

In November 2012, John Leslie began to present Friday's Drivetime show on 98.8 Castle FM, hoping to revive his career as a radio DJ. In March 2013, Leslie was among the Castle FM presenters who walked out in a disagreement with their management, only to be locked out when they tried to return. By the end of the year, the radio station had become automated, with no presenters.[5]

In 2013, Leslie starred as a pub karaoke singer in a music video[6] for Scottish indie band Vigo Thieves for their track called Ghosts. This track was available to view on YouTube from 1 February 2013.[7]

On 28 March 2014, it was announced that Leslie would begin presenting his own Saturday (10 AM to 2 PM) radio show across the Scottish Bauer Radio AM network, debuting the following day.[8]

Rape and assault allegations

In October 2002, it emerged that Ulrika Jonsson had written in her autobiography, Honest, that "an acquaintance" had raped her when she was 19. It became known that the man was a TV presenter after comments by Jonathan Ross on his chat show.[9] Amid media speculation, television presenter Matthew Wright accidentally disclosed on The Wright Stuff that Leslie was the alleged perpetrator.[10] Jonsson has never said whether the correct person was named.[11][12]

Shortly afterwards, other women made accusations of indecent assault against Leslie, and he was arrested in December 2002 on one count of rape and two concerning indecent assault, and released on bail after being interviewed by the police.[13] Leslie was charged in June 2003 with assaulting a woman twice between 25 and 28 May 1997.[14] He was never charged for offences against Jonsson.[15] The prosecution dropped the charges against Leslie at Southwark Crown Court on 31 July 2003 after new information from the alleged victim.[16] On the court steps after he was cleared, Leslie said that he had "been to hell and back" and that he had "maintained [his] innocence throughout".[16]

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".[2][17]

On 23 June 2008 British media reported that Leslie had again been arrested in relation to an alleged rape that happened in November 1995.[18] Again, no charges were brought.[19]

Speaking on ITV's Daybreak programme in early 2013, Leslie recounted the events subsequent to the allegations being made and said that he had contemplated suicide.[20]

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Beckham Backs Hibs Star Retrieved 26 June 2008
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ "John Leslie among Castle FM radio hosts locked out" - The Scotsman, 25 March 2013
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ "John Leslie Gets Regular Show With Bauer" - RadioToday.co.uk
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

External links

Preceded by Blue Peter Presenter No. 18
1989-94		 Succeeded by
Tim Vincent
Preceded by Host of Wheel of Fortune
1998-2001		 Succeeded by
Paul Hendy
Preceded by Host of This Morning
with Fern Britton
2001-2002		 Succeeded by
Phillip Schofield

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