Jan Leeming (born Janet Dorothy Atkins; 5 January 1942) is an English TV presenter and newsreader.

Early life and personal life

Leeming was born in Barnehurst,

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, and educated at the Assumption Convent, Charlton and St Joseph's Convent Grammar School, Abbey Wood. Leeming has been married and divorced five times. She also had a brief relationship in the 1960s with New Zealand writer

Owen Leeming Owen Leeming (born 1930) is a New Zealand poet, playwright, radio presenter and television producer. While working in broadcasting in London and New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s, he had short stories and poems published in various magazines ...

, between her first and second marriages. Although they never married, she took his name by

deed poll A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract because it binds only one party (law), party. Et ...

and did not change it after their separation.

Career

Presenter and actress

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. In 1969, she joined the presenting team of BBC1's children's science programme '' Tom Tom'', which she co-hosted until 1970. In 1976, she fronted the 10–part BBC2 handicraft series ''Knitting Fashion'' 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, switching to the Midlands for the regional show ''Midlands Tonight'' in 1979. 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''. Beginning in April 1980, she became one of Britain's best-known newsreaders across the BBC and also hosted the

1982 Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest 1982 was the 27th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Harrogate, United Kingdom, following the country's victory at the with the song "Making Your Mind Up" by Bucks Fizz. Organised by the ...

. She has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the newsroom in 1987, with bit parts and one-off specials including as a stand-in newsreader for the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

's breakfast show '' The Big Breakfast'' during the 1990s. Her recent appearances include one as herself in the film ''

Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? ''Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?'' is a 1999 British comedy film directed by Peter Hewitt and written by Ben Steiner. It was filmed in Doncaster and Sheffield. The cult classic film is a love story set in the 1970s, showing Vince Smith's e ...

'', starring Tom Courtenay, in 1999; and latterly on '' The Harry Hill Show''; '' So Graham Norton''; '' Lowri''; '' Good Morning Australia''; '' Esther'' and '' Through the Keyhole''. 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 The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

conservation charity in South Africa. She appeared in ''

Safari School ''Safari School'' is a BBC Two reality television series presented by Dr Charlotte Uhlenbroek in which eight celebrities take part in a four-week ranger training course in the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa. Synopsis The celebrities have ...

'', 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

''I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!''

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. 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 The witchetty grub (also spelled witchety grub or witjuti grub) is a term used in Australia for the large, white, wood-eating larvae of several moths. In particular, it applies to the larvae of the cossid moth ''Endoxyla leucomochla'', which fee ...

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.

''Searching for René''

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. Ian Reed was able to source historic material which added to Leeming's programme. She is now a Vice President of the Museum.

''The Real Marigold Hotel''

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. In December 2017, she also appeared in the second season of ''The Real Marigold on Tour'' to

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

''Celebrity First Dates''

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.

''Money for Nothing''

Celebrity edition. Leeming donated the money raised to Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys.

''The Real Marigold on Tour - Cuba''

Leeming joined Miriam Margolyes, Wayne Sleep and Bobby George in BBC One programme 'The Real Marigold on Tour' 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.

''The Real Marigold on Tour - Argentina''

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.

References

External links

* – official site * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leeming, Jan 1942 births Living people English television presenters BBC newsreaders and journalists People from Bexley I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants