Jan Leeming Criticizes ITV News Presenter Charlene White's Style

Retired news anchor Jan Leeming, 84, has voiced strong opinions about ITV presenter Charlene White, 46, asserting that White's on-air delivery is "condescending" and that she is not suited for newsreading. Leeming, who herself was a BBC presenter from 1969 to 1987, including a period as a newsreader, expressed these views via social media.

Leeming stated on X that White addresses viewers as if they were children and suggested that while White's journalistic abilities are unknown to her, her newsreading skills are lacking. She contrasted White's style with that of Mary Nightingale and mentioned approvingly of Lucrezia Millarini's presentation and appropriate dress.

In separate posts, Leeming also addressed broader issues concerning news presentation, including pronunciation and speech clarity. She cited examples of mispronunciations like "grievious" instead of "grievous" and "mischievous" with four syllables instead of three. Leeming also noted issues with pronunciation of words like "fifth," "sixth," "February," and "jewellery," as well as the use of "like" by younger presenters. She attributed these issues to a lack of teaching and correction.