The 54-year-old is charged with ‘sexual touching of a woman’ in December 2008

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The former Blue Peter presenter John Leslie has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in December 2008.

The 54-year-old, who also fronted the daytime TV show This Morning, was informed of the charge last month, a statement from Scotland Yard said.

“John Leslie Stott, of Edinburgh, Midlothian, was charged by postal requisition on Wednesday 5 June with sexual touching of a woman aged 16 or over.

“He is due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday 25 July at 9.30am.”

The complainant was 30 at the time of the alleged assault in Westminster, London.

Leslie, real name John Stott, joined Blue Peter in 1989 and remained with the show until 1994.

In 1998 he took over from Bradley Walsh as the main presenter of game show Wheel Of Fortune, before joining This Morning a year later.

He was replaced on the morning show by Phillip Schofield in 2002.

Between 2012 and 2016, Leslie had short stints as a radio DJ in Scotland with Castle FM and Bauer Radio.