Ann Leslie

Dame Ann Elizabeth Mary Leslie was a British journalist who wrote for the Daily Mail. She worked as a broadcaster and foreign correspondent throughout her professional life.

Early life and education

Leslie was born on 28 January 1941, in Rawalpindi, which is located in present-day Pakistan. She spent her early years in this region and attended an English-language school. During this period, she witnessed the killing trains of Partition. Her parents sent her to England in 1950 to attend boarding school.

She studied at the Presentation Convent School in Matlock, Derbyshire, and also attended St Leonards-Mayfield School in East Sussex. Two years later, she went to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. This academic foundation prepared her for a career in media.

Career

Leslie began her journalism career at the Daily Express in Manchester in 1962. She moved to the Daily Mail in 1967. Throughout her tenure, she interviewed political figures and film stars. Her reporting covered wars and civil conflicts across approximately 70 countries.

She reported on several major global events. These included the fall of the Berlin Wall and the failed coup against Mikhail Gorbachev. Leslie also covered Nelson Mandela's final walk to freedom. She performed secret interviews in both Iran and North Korea.

During her time in Zimbabwe, she experienced a dangerous situation at a ZANU farm. She returned to the press hotel in Harare while other reporters stayed inside. Leslie referred to these colleagues as "Avon ladies" because she believed they only sent back made-up stories. Her memoir, Killing My Own Snakes, was published in 2008.

As a broadcaster, she appeared as a regular panellist on BBC programs such as Question Time and Any Questions?. She also worked with Sky News and various international broadcasting organisations. In 2012, she participated in the documentary The Diamond Queen about Queen Elizabeth II. She was interviewed by National Life Stories between 2007 and 2008 for the British Library collection.

The Reuters/Press Gazette Newspaper Hall of Fame named her one of the most influential journalists of the last forty years. David Randall profiled her in The Great Reporters as the most versatile reporter ever. These accolades highlight her impact on the industry.

Personal life

Leslie married Michael Fletcher in 1969. The couple had one daughter. She died on 25 June 2023, at the age of 82.

Awards and recognition

Leslie won 9 British Press Awards during her career. She also received 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards. In 1999, she earned the James Cameron Award for international reporting. On 30 December 2006, she was created a DBE for "Services to Journalism".

She won the Outstanding Contribution to Journalism Award at the International Media Awards in London on 5 May 2012. The BBC recognised her as one of its 100 women in 2013. Her legacy remains tied to her extensive field reporting.