Overview
Robin Douglas Leach (29 August 1941 – 24 August 2018) was a British-American entertainment reporter and writer from London. After beginning his career as a print journalist, first in England and then in the United States, he became best known for hosting the television series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous from 1984 to 1995. The show focused on profiling well-known celebrities and their lavish homes, cars and other materialistic details.
Early life
Leach was born in London, the son of Violet Victoria (Phillips) and Douglas Thomas Leach, a sales executive. He attended Harrow County School for Boys, 10 miles (16 km) from London, where he edited a school magazine, The Gayton Times, at age 14. At age 15 he became a general news reporter for the Harrow Observer, and earned £6 a week after graduation.
Career
Leach moved on to the Daily Mail as Britain's youngest "Page One" reporter at age 18. In 1963, he emigrated to the United States, though he maintained his English accent throughout his life (which would become a trademark of his when he began working in television years later). He wrote for several American newspapers, including New York Daily News, People and Ladies' Home Journal, before launching GO Magazine in 1967 and then became show business editor of The Star.
Leach got his start in television as a regular contributor to AM Los Angeles, with Regis Philbin and Sarah Purcell on KABC-TV. Other television work included reporting for People Tonight, on CNN and Entertainment Tonight and helping start Good Morning Australia, as well as the Food Network. Leach was also a guest at the World Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania IV, where he read the rules for the championship tournament.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).