David Leckie to depart Seven

One of TV’s most colourful (former) executives, David Leckie, is to depart the Seven network after 13 years at the end of the month.

The Australian reports he will begin a fulltime position at “another media company.”

Leckie, 65, was appointed CEO of Seven West Media following a merger between Seven and The West in 2011, with Tim Worner appointed Managing Director of Seven. In 2012 he retired, being replaced by Don Voelte, who was succeeded by Tim Worner in 2013. But Leckie remained a Director and subsequent Consultant to Seven.

More significantly, his years running Seven saw the network gain glory over Nine in 2007, ruling the network with his robust style outspoken views and colourful language. He has given many journos plenty of column inches with war stories of meetings, lunches, health issues, exec stoushes, corporate and court battles.

During the infamous legal case with former Seven exec James Warburton, Leckie was asked if he told Warburton he was free to take the TEN job, he said, “Why would I do that? I’m not very bright but I’m not stupid.”

At a 2012 programming launch he took aim at his rivals, saying TEN had “one show, a cooking show” while referring to Nine’s schedule as “the yo-yo show.”

In 2010 he declared, “I know everyone is talking about Packer and Murdoch and Gyngell, but the bottom line is Seven has delivered.

“I’m sick of all this crap. It’s very important for us to say we are No. 1.”

And who can forget in 2010 when he admitted,  Cougar Town was “a shit show”?

Prior to Seven, Leckie had 23 years at the dominant Nine network.

Photo: Circa 2007 Fairfax.