‘He would have hated it’: TV legend David Leckie receives top honour

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‘He would have hated it’: TV legend David Leckie receives top honour

By Zoe Samios

Once one of the most powerful figures in Australian television, David Leckie, has posthumously been made a Member of the Order of Australia, in recognition of his significant contribution to the broadcast industry over four decades.

Leckie, who passed away last July after a long illness, was the former chief executive of the Nine and Seven Networks. His wife Skye Leckie said it was an honour that celebrated his legacy.

David Leckie, who transformed the Nine and Seven Networks into top-performing television stations, died last year, aged 70.

David Leckie, who transformed the Nine and Seven Networks into top-performing television stations, died last year, aged 70.Credit:Michelle Mossop

“To take two networks to number one is a pretty high achievement,” she said. “Harry, my son, said at the funeral that he did have a mistress, and it was in the shape of a television. That was his first love.

“I think it is a great recognition of, believe it or not, a man who never really wanted the spotlight on him, like his wife. He would be awkwardly embarrassed, but on the inside, he’d be really, really chuffed.”

Educated at Newington College and Macquarie University, Leckie, who was once referred to as “The Great One”, was regarded as a force of the Australian television industry. He helped rescue and rebuild the Seven Network after being sacked from rival Nine in 2001. Leckie had led Nine to be the top-rating commercial network in Australia.

His recognition comes two months after the 100th birthday of his father, Ron Leckie. “The Queen was busy this year writing to the Leckies,” quipped Skye Leckie.

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During Leckie’s time at Nine from 1991 to 2001, the network had only six weeks when it didn’t win the ratings, allowing it to boast over and over again it was “Still the One”. In 2003, Seven chairman Kerry Stokes offered Leckie the opportunity to run his then struggling television network. He turned around the fortunes of Seven by choosing programming that appealed to a laid-back suburban demographic, which he referred to as the Australian heartland.

Seven West Media boss James Warburton said the honour was richly deserved, but his former colleague would have found it uncomfortable. “He would have hated it,” he said. “He never wanted to be in the public spotlight, and always wanted Seven and its people, to receive the accolades. I know Skye and their boys would be very proud of him today.”

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Leckie, a loudmouth larrikin, was known for his colourful language and could be bold and explosive, but also charming and entertaining. Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam said he had a “legendary presence” in the industry from a young age.

“He did have a mistress, and it was in the shape of a television.”

Harry Leckie

“He was a forceful and inspirational head of sales and always met his escalating budgets every year by a keen appreciation of what the public wants and selling that to advertisers,” McWilliam said. “He understood instinctively how sport resonated with Australian audiences, and he lived for the big American franchises so popular in the 1990s.

“When he came to Seven he dispensed with his inclination to sack everyone and quickly embraced the power of Sunrise, Home and Away and My Kitchen Rules. He loved [Seven Network creative director] Graham Donald for his promos and interacted well with everyone despite his often brusque delivery.”

Family man: Skye, Ben, Harry and David Leckie.

Family man: Skye, Ben, Harry and David Leckie.

Skye Leckie said the honour was a bittersweet day for the Leckie family. “A lot of people will be very happy for him and he won’t be here. He died on the 21st of July, so it’s very fitting that this happens in the middle of June. The first year is always the most difficult, but this means we can turn the page, and know that his legacy lives on.”

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