If you grew up watching Blue Peter in the 1990s, John Leslie was a familiar face — but his story took a sharp turn away from the limelight, into a courtroom, and now into a quieter life in Scotland as a property developer. This article traces his journey from TV presenter to his current career, examines his relationship history, and provides an update on his net worth and legal outcomes.
Full name: John Leslie Stott ·
Born: 22 February 1965 ·
Career start: 1987 (Music Box channel) ·
Known for: Blue Peter presenter (1990s) ·
Legal status: Acquitted of sexual assault (2018, 2020)
Quick snapshot
- 1987: TV debut on Music Box channel (Wikipedia)
- 2018: Cleared of sexual assault in Edinburgh (ITV News)
- 2020: Found not guilty in London trial (Deadline)
- 2025: Working as a property developer (Edinburgh Live)
- Living privately in Scotland (Edinburgh Live)
- Building a property portfolio in Glasgow and London (Edinburgh Live)
- No return to mainstream television (Mirror)
The key facts below summarise the most critical data points about John Leslie drawn from verified sources.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Leslie Stott (Edinburgh News) |
| Born | 22 February 1965 (Mirror) |
| Career start | 1987 (Wikipedia) |
| Known for | Blue Peter, BBC shows (Mirror) |
| Legal outcome | Acquitted of sexual assault (2018 Scotland, 2020 London) (Deadline; ITV News) |
| Marital status | Married to Kate Moore (reported) (Mirror) |
| Net worth | Estimated £500,000 (Metro) |
Seven facts, one pattern: a public figure who rose through children’s television only to face a decade of legal battles, emerging with a drastically different life.
What does John Leslie do now for a living?
Is John Leslie still in television?
No. According to Edinburgh Live, as of 2025 Leslie is no longer on television. He has not returned to mainstream presenting after his legal cases.
What is John Leslie’s current job?
The Edinburgh Live report describes him working as a property developer, having built a portfolio in Glasgow and London and renting out an Edinburgh property to tourists. A Mirror article adds that he lost a home valued at £3.5 million and survived on royalties and DJ work before moving into property.
Leslie swapped the camera for a mortgage portfolio. For someone who once earned up to £350,000 a year at This Morning (Metro), property development offers both privacy and a steady if less glamorous income.
The implication: John Leslie’s present career is a clean break from his past, built on assets rather than screen appearances.
Did Catherine Zeta-Jones date John Leslie?
What illness does Catherine Zeta-Jones have?
Catherine Zeta-Jones has publicly said she has bipolar disorder. She has also spoken about her smoking habit. These are separate from any link to Leslie but often surface in searches about their reported relationship.
Is Catherine Zeta-Jones a cigarette smoker?
Yes, she has acknowledged smoking, though this fact is not relevant to her dating history with John Leslie. The rumoured relationship in the 1990s remains unconfirmed by either party; it appears in tabloid coverage but lacks direct statements from those involved.
The pattern: the Zeta-Jones connection is a persistent online query, but no primary source — only retrospective articles — supports a definitive relationship.
What is John Leslie famous for?
What is John Leslie’s background?
John Leslie Stott (Edinburgh News) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 22 February 1965. He began his television career on the Music Box channel in 1987 (Wikipedia).
What TV shows did he present?
He is best known for presenting Blue Peter from 1989 to 1994 (Mirror). He also hosted This Morning and Wheel of Fortune, and worked in radio. His peak earning years saw him take home around £350,000 annually (Metro).
Leslie’s fame is double-edged: his name is tied to both a beloved children’s show and a series of sexual assault allegations — all of which he was acquitted of, but which ended his television career.
Why this matters: for many viewers, Leslie is a “where are they now” case, but the legal cloud still colours his public legacy.
Is John Leslie married now?
Does John Leslie have a partner?
Multiple reports state he is in a relationship with Kate Moore. A Mirror article from 2025 referred to Moore as his girlfriend, while other outlets have described her as his wife. The couple is believed to have been together since the early 2000s.
Who is John Leslie’s wife?
The name most consistently linked to him is Kate Moore. However, as of 2025, no official marriage certificate or public confirmation has been produced, leaving the precise marital status slightly ambiguous. The Edinburgh Live article does not mention a wife, only his private life in Scotland.
What this means: Leslie’s personal life is largely out of the public eye. The available evidence suggests a long-term partnership with Kate Moore, but definitive proof of marriage is lacking.
How much is John Leslie worth?
What is John Leslie’s net worth in 2024?
Estimates vary. A 2019 Metro article reported that some websites placed his net worth under £100,000, noting that he used to earn around £350,000 a year at his peak. A later estimate from celebrity net worth trackers suggests around £500,000, but no audited financial statement exists. The Mirror reported that he lost a £3.5 million home, indicating a significant financial downturn.
The trade-off: Leslie’s current property development work may have rebuilt some wealth, but the public data suggests a fraction of his former earnings.
Timeline of John Leslie’s life and career
- 22 February 1965 – Born in Edinburgh (Edinburgh News)
- 1987 – Begins TV career on Music Box (Wikipedia)
- 1989–1994 – Presenter on BBC’s Blue Peter (Mirror)
- 2000s – Works in radio and other TV appearances, including This Morning (Mirror)
- 2018 – Acquitted in Edinburgh Sheriff Court under “not proven” verdict (ITV News)
- 2020 – Found not guilty of sexual assault in London trial (Deadline)
- 2025 – Working as a property developer, living privately in Scotland (Edinburgh Live)
The pattern: from children’s TV star to defendant, then to acquittal and a low-profile career in property. Each phase sharply contrasts with the one before.
Clarity report
Confirmed facts
- John Leslie was born on 22 February 1965 (Mirror)
- He presented Blue Peter (Mirror)
- He was acquitted of sexual assault in 2018 and 2020 (ITV News; Deadline)
- He now works as a property developer (Edinburgh Live)
What’s unclear
- His exact net worth is not publicly confirmed (Metro)
- His current employment status beyond property development is unclear
- Whether he is still married to Kate Moore is not definitively verified (Mirror)
- His total property portfolio size and value are unknown
- Whether he dated Catherine Zeta-Jones (persistent tabloid claim, unconfirmed by primary sources)
Why this matters: low research confidence means readers should treat speculative figures (like net worth) with caution, while the core biography and legal outcomes are well-documented.
In their own words
John Leslie Stott (born 22 February 1965), known professionally as John Leslie, is a Scottish former television and radio presenter.
Wikipedia (encyclopedic source)
Former TV presenter John Leslie leaving Edinburgh Sheriff Court in 2018 after being acquitted of sexually assaulting a woman.
For anyone searching for John Leslie today, the picture is of a man who has retreated from fame. His television career ended not with a decision to quit, but with a legal ordeal that, despite two acquittals, made a return to the screen impossible. For the British public who grew up with him on Blue Peter, the choice is between remembering the presenter or acknowledging the complicated aftermath. The clearest answer to “what is John Leslie doing now?” is that he is building a quiet life far from the cameras — and that, perhaps, is exactly what he wants.
For a detailed look at his career and financial status, check out John Leslies biography and net worth.
Frequently asked questions
What is John Leslie’s real name?
His full name is John Leslie Stott (Wikipedia).
When was John Leslie born?
22 February 1965 (Mirror).
What TV channel did John Leslie first work for?
He began on the Music Box channel in 1987 (Wikipedia).
What year did John Leslie join Blue Peter?
He joined as a presenter in 1989 (Mirror).
What was the outcome of John Leslie’s legal case?
He was acquitted in Scotland in 2018 (not proven verdict) and found not guilty in London in 2020 (ITV News; Deadline).
Is John Leslie the same person as the adult film actor?
No. The adult film actor John Leslie (John Leslie Nuzzo) is a different person, an American who worked in the 1970s–1990s. The TV presenter is Scottish and not associated with that industry (Wikipedia).
Who is John Leslie’s wife?
He is reported to be married to or in a long-term relationship with Kate Moore (Mirror).
For more on other former Blue Peter presenters, see Jake Humphrey’s career journey and Christopher Biggins’ life story.
George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.