Jan Leeming: what happened to ex BBC newsreader in France, where was she attacked, has she been injured?

Ex-BBC newsreader Jan Leeming has revealed she was attacked by a masked man while on holiday in France.

The 80-year-old said she is recovering after the incident, which she described on Twitter as a “horrible experience” that will make her more wary of people.

Ms Leeming is known not only for her work as a newsreader, but also as the host of Eurovision in 1982 and as a contestant on ITV show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!.

So what happened to Jan Leeming - and has she been injured?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Jan Leeming?

Jan Leeming is an 80-year-old television star, who worked for the BBC from 1969 until 1987.

As well as her prominent role in fronting up the corporation’s news coverage from 1980 until her departure, Ms Leeming also had stints presenting BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, as well as national and regional magazine shows.

In 1982, she presented the Eurovision song contest from Harrogate following Bucks Fizz’s win the previous year with the song ‘Making Your Mind up’.

More recently, Jan Leeming has appeared on the sixth series of hit ITV show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and is also a cast member for BBC series The Real Marigold Hotel.

In her time away from the small screen, she works for a cheetah conservation charity in South Africa, and also represents other animal welfare organisations.

What happened to Jan Leeming?

On Saturday (23 July), Jan Leeming revealed on Twitter that she had been the victim of an attempted mugging while on holiday with friends in France.

Describing it as a “horrid experience”, she said she was close to an ATM she and four of her friends were using when the incident happened.

“Youngish man seemed pleasant held out hand - like a first rate idiot being courteous I took it. Rugby tackled to ground,” Ms Leeming said.

“Bag was over my arm - he didn’t get it. Got six inch gash on arm back of hand black and blue.”

She added that she had visited a local pharmacy where her wound was sprayed and then dressed.

While some media reports said she had fought off the mugger, the ex-BBC star said she merely lay “prostrate on the ground”.

The attack took place in the village of Mouriès, close to the city of Arles in the South of France.

Ms Leeming described the area as “a sleepy little Provencal village”.

“It was horrid but well orchestrated with a getaway car,” the 80-year-old added.

“My head was very close to oncoming car. Think there was CCTV but he wore a mask - car took a left so friends couldn’t get number plate. Gendarmerie was closed.”

The ex-newsreader said she had assumed by the man’s Covid mask that he was “a vulnerable person”.

Ms Leeming later revealed on the social media site that she had been mugged before in 1987.

She told her followers that she has been “far too trusting” and would now be “much more wary” in the wake of the attack.