Retired television newsreader Jan Leeming, 84, has voiced criticism of ITV News presenter Charlene White, describing her style as "condescending" and stating that she "doesn't hack it as a newsreader." Leeming, who worked as a BBC presenter from 1969 to 1987, including a tenure as a newsreader starting in 1980, recently took to social media platform X to share her opinions.
In a post, Leeming remarked, "Wish ITV's Charlene would stop addressing us as if we were children. She has such a condescending style." She added that while she was unsure of White's journalistic capabilities, she did not believe White possessed the necessary skills for newsreading, suggesting that the role requires a specific aptitude not all possess, unlike Mary Nightingale.
Leeming also commented on White's delivery, stating, "One conveys emotion by tone of voice NOT by heavily stressing lots of words." When it was noted that White also appears on the daytime program Loose Women, Leeming responded that she had "Never watched it."
This criticism follows Leeming's broader commentary on contemporary newsreaders. Last year, she expressed concerns about pronunciation, mumbled speech, and heavy accents among current presenters. She highlighted examples of incorrect pronunciation such as "grievious" instead of "grievous" and "mischievous" with four syllables instead of three. Leeming lamented a perceived decline in standards, contrasting it with the weekly spelling tests of her era.
She also critiqued the modern use of the word "like" as a filler and issues with pronouncing words like "fifth," "sixth," "February," and "jewellery."
Leeming, who has also been vocal on social media about parenting, recently recounted an experience at a restaurant where she was reportedly treated as being at fault for complaining about a screaming child. She suggested that traditional pubs might not be suitable for young children and that in the evenings, children should ideally be in bed, with babysitting costs factored into outing expenses.