Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOHN LESLIE ON ‘SEX ATTACK IN CLUB’ RAP
TV star: I’m totally innocent
FORMER Blue Peter host John Leslie yesterday said he is “totally innocent” after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub more than a decade ago.
The ex-tv presenter allegedly attacked a 30-year-old woman in London’s Soho in December 2008.
Leslie, 54, will face one charge of sexual assault when he appears in court on July 25.
The star, who now lives in Edinburgh, was charged more than five weeks ago on June 5. Details of the charge, under his real name John Stott, emerged only yesterday.
He said: “I am totally innocent of the historic allegation and will be contesting the trial.”
Leslie began his TV career in 1989 when he became a presenter on the BBC’S Blue Peter.
He appeared on the much-loved children’s TV show for five years.
In 1998 he took over from Bradley Walsh as the main presenter of game show Wheel Of Fortune, before joining This Morning a year later.
He presented on Fridays with Fern Britton, before the pair became full-time presenters in 2001, replacing TV icons Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
Leslie dated Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-jones in the early 90s and also glamour model and reality star TV Abi Titmuss – their relationship began when he was presenting This Morning.
He was replaced on the show by Phillip Schofield in 2002.
Leslie withdrew from public life in the early 2000s, but he has since returned to radio work. Most recently, he has presented on radio, including Castle FM.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The allegation relates to an incident in Westminster in December 2008. The victim was aged 30 at the time.”