Scandal-hit former TV presenter John Leslie has stepped out in a new role – that of a womanising cad – by making his debut in a touring stage production of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice.
Leslie, who was sacked from his £250,000-a-year TV job after he was involved in a substance abuse scandal, credits the move into theatre with helping him rebuild his life. "For two years I was in the wilderness," he says. "I was a broken man. My self esteem hit rock bottom. Now I am doing something I really believe in, and it feels great."
Although his appearance in breeches and red frock coat prompted initial titters among the audience, the general opinion seems to be that he acquitted himself convincingly in portraying the roguish Mr Wickham.
"I give myself six out of ten," the 39-year-old said of his performance in which he sings and plays the piano. Explaining that while he hadn't felt nervous before going on stage, when the moment actually arrived he was "physically shaking".
While John's new salary of £250 a week is a far cry from his former take-home, the six-week tour seems to have brought him both satisfaction and a new sense of direction. "I'm a new man," he says. "I feel stronger as a person. I see acting as my future now. I've been offered loads of television jobs but none of them felt right."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
