Leonard Parkin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 2 June 1929 Thurnscoe, England |
| Died | 20 September 1993 (aged 64) Scarborough, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Newsreader |
| Years active | c.1953–1993 |
| Known for | ITV News (ITN) |
| Spouse |
Barbara Rowley
(m. 1955; sep. 1987) |
| Children | 1 |
Leonard Parkin (2 June 1929 – 20 September 1993) was an English television journalist and newsreader for the BBC and ITN. He began his career as a reporter for local newspapers in Yorkshire before moving to London to work for BBC Radio Newsreel and TV News. Parkin became the BBC's Canadian correspondent in 1960, and three years later was promoted to Washington correspondent. In 1965, he was a reporter on the BBC's current affairs programme Panorama, leaving in 1966 when he was injured in a car accident.
In 1967, he joined ITN and became a newsreader on its half-hour News at Ten bulletin. Parkin took over as the main presenter of ITN's First Report lunchtime current affairs programme and was a regular newsreader on News at One from 1978 to 1987. Between 1978 and 1982, he read the news on the News at 5:45 bulletin. Parkin took early retirement from ITN in July 1987 and went on to create a series of documentaries for Yorkshire Television.