Jan Leeming

Leeming was born in Barnehurst, Kent,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/whats-on/news/the-story-of-a-true-hero-a56604/|title=The story of a true hero|date=2013-01-25|website=Kent Online|language=en|access-date=2019-01-03}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jan-leeming.com/biography|title=Biography - Jan Leeming|website=www.jan-leeming.com}} and educated at the Assumption Convent, Charlton and St Joseph's Convent Grammar School, Abbey Wood.

She worked as an actress and presenter in Australia and New Zealand before becoming a well-known face on British television in regional and children's programmes. An early UK TV role came in the BBC sitcom Hugh and I in December 1966.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8dd10afa920944dd8ecd22b135c273dd|title=Hugh and I|date=8 December 1966|issue=2248|pages=37|via=BBC Genome}} In 1969, she joined the presenting team of BBC1's children's science programme Tom Tom, which she co-hosted until 1970.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/72239b712e444909a587fa1fbff8bfd9|title=Tom Tom|date=20 November 1969|issue=2402|pages=43|via=BBC Genome}} In 1976, she fronted the 10–part BBC2 handicraft series Knitting Fashion{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d24507ed4414a5e836fa48da72f164a|title=Knitting Fashion|date=14 October 1976|issue=2762|pages=33|via=BBC Genome}} which was repeated several times through to 1978. From 1977, she was the presenter of the BBC's regional programme Zodiac & Co for the South West area,{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5c2aa2c7a4f4443b94924b1a38c4aee4|title=Regional programmes|date=24 November 1977|issue=2820|pages=66|via=BBC Genome}} switching to the Midlands for the regional show Midlands Tonight in 1979.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2d252cb831434406951ba6d66a9fbec3|title=Regional programmes|date=1 February 1979|issue=2882|pages=62|via=BBC Genome}} Leeming began a long stint presenting the Monday–Friday BBC1 afternoon show Pebble Mill at One between 1976 and 1979, during which time she also often co-presented Radio 4's Woman's Hour.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/18d4caf35bc34cddbce0d2fecce37b21|title=Woman's Hour|date=12 October 1978|issue=2866|pages=61|via=BBC Genome}} Beginning in April 1980, she became one of Britain's best-known newsreaders across the BBC and also hosted the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest.

She has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the newsroom in 1987,[http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/presenters/l.htm L is for ...] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403145037/http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/presenters/l.htm |date=3 April 2007 }} but was invited to host 1992's Eurovision contest when it came to the UK, presumably for her experience with live television broadcasts. – tv.cream.org She was also a stand-in newsreader for the Channel 4's breakfast show The Big Breakfast during the 1990s. Her recent appearances include one as herself in the film Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?, starring Tom Courtenay, in 1999; and latterly on The Harry Hill Show; So Graham Norton; Lowri; Good Morning Australia; Esther and Through the Keyhole.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} At the Barbican she presented the RAF concert to mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Since 2000, much of her time has been spent in corporate work and her longtime passion working with a cheetah conservation charity in South Africa. She appeared in Safari School, a reality television series, which was first broadcast on BBC Two during January and February 2007.

In February 2010, Leeming appeared in a special celebrity episode of the dining programme Come Dine with Me for Channel 4.

In November 2006, Leeming was a contestant on the sixth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! on ITV. Leeming has done a record number of six 'Bush Tucker' trials.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} For one of the trials, Leeming volunteered and for the other five she was voted to do them by the British public. Some of her trials included being lowered into a dark tunnel with various unpleasant creatures, shut in a box amongst snakes, jumping out of a plane at 14,000 feet to catch falling stars and having to eat various insects and Australian delicacies to win food for camp. During that trial, Leeming ate a vomit fruit and a witchety grub smoothie. However, she refused to eat a kangaroo's eye, tongue, anus and reproductive organs. Leeming was evicted on the 19th day of the series where she came 6th.

In 2013, Leeming researched, wrote and presented a documentary on WW2 Free French Pilot, René Mouchotte. BBC 1 South East Inside Out. Currently considering writing a book about her 6 year extensive Search. Through her research she met the Director of the Allied Air Forces Museum at Elvington near York.{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9444702.Museum_role_for_Jan_Leeming/|title=Museum role for Jan Leeming|website=York Press|date=30 December 2011 }} Ian Reed was able to source historic material which added to Leeming's programme. She is now a Vice President of the Museum.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

In January and February 2016, Leeming appeared in the three-part BBC series The Real Marigold Hotel, which followed a group of celebrity senior citizens including Miriam Margolyes and Wayne Sleep on a journey to India.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/Fzgh7QBNCHTntRMKnbFz2W/the-female-residents|title=Series 1, The Real Marigold Hotel - The female residents - BBC One|website=BBC}} In December 2017, she also appeared in the second season of The Real Marigold on Tour to Havana.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jj4wk|title=Cuba, Series 2, The Real Marigold on Tour - BBC Two|website=BBC}}

Broadcast on 2 November 2017, Leeming took part in a special celebrity edition of Channel 4's First Dates, in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/celebrity-first-dates-with-roman-kemp-sinitta-and-michael-fabricant-everything-you-need-to-know-a3675166.html|title=Celebrity First Dates with Roman Kemp, Sinitta and Michael Fabricant: Everything you need to know|work=London Evening Standard|date=2 November 2017|access-date=28 November 2017}}

Celebrity edition. Leeming donated the money raised to Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys.{{cite web |url=http://www.jan-leeming.com/blog/3014-money-for-nothing |website=Jan Leeming|title=Money for Nothing}}

Leeming joined Miriam Margolyes, Wayne Sleep and Bobby George in BBC One programme 'The Real Marigold on Tour'{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09hztft|title=The Real Marigold on Tour - BBC Two|website=BBC}} when they visited Cuba to look at how Cubans treat their elderly and the way the elderly spend their retirement. She also went on a date with a local.

In February 2019, Leeming joined Sheila Ferguson, Wayne Sleep and Paul Nicholas in BBC One programme 'The Real Marigold on Tour' when they visited Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Leeming has been married and divorced five times.Allfree, Claire (27 July 2024). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/27/jan-leeming-interview-my-five-husbands-were-all-womanisers/ "Jan Leeming interview: ‘All of my five husbands were womanisers – I’ve had such bad luck’"] The Telegraph. Retrieved 31 July 2024. She also had a brief relationship in the 1960s with New Zealand writer Owen Leeming, between her first and second marriages. Although they never married, she took his name by deed poll and did not change it after their separation.{{cite news |title=Leeming's life and loves |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/leemings-life-and-loves-1672204 |access-date=20 October 2020 |work=Chronicle Live |date=15 December 2003}}

• List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.jan-leeming.com|Jan Leeming}} – official site
• {{IMDb name|id=0498672}}

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{{succession box |

before=Doireann Ní Bhriain |

title=Eurovision Song Contest presenter |

years=1982 |

after= Marlene Charell

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeming, Jan}}

Category:1942 births

Category:Living people

Category:English television presenters

Category:BBC newsreaders and journalists

Category:People from Bexley