Leslie Ann Sykes is a popular journalist co-anchoring the Eyewitness News on KABC-TV. The parents of Leslie Ann Sykes are Abel Baxton Sykes, Jr. (June 1, 1934 – December 19, 2012) and Sylvia Mae Thierry Sykes.
Leslie Ann Sykes was born in San Diego, California. Dawn Carol Sykes and Daphne Grace Sykes are her two elder sisters. She was raised in Compton, California, where her father was employed by Compton Community College as an administrator.
After graduating from Lakewood, California’s St. Joseph High School, Sykes went on to Atlanta, Georgia’s Spelman College, where she majored in and earned a degree in English. There, she made her as “Miss Mission” in Spike Lee’s 1988 picture School Daze, her feature debut.
How did Leslie begin her career as a journalist?
Sykes started working as a journalist after graduating. She worked as a general assignment reporter for the now-defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.
It was one of her first jobs. Next was an internship at KCOP-TV, a local independent television station that is currently an affiliate of My Network TV. This led to KTTV, a Fox station, hiring her as a desk assistant in the news department.
Her first on-air position at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was her big break. She produced a newscast, anchored three shows a day, and worked as a reporter as well.
After that, she was given her first significant market job in New Orleans, Louisiana’s WVUE-TV. December 1994 saw Sykes go back to working as a general assignment reporter for “Eyewitness News” on KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
Late in 1998, Sykes received an offer from Chicago’s WBBM-TV to take Sarah Lucero’s place as the network’s top female weekend anchor. But according to a Chicago Sun-Times article from December 3, 1998, she had chosen “to stay put in L.A.”
Sykes received a promotion to co-anchor the “Eyewitness News” weekend show in June 1999. She joined the team on “Eyewitness News This Morning” after receiving another promotion in 2009, this time to co-anchor the 11 a.m.–noon slot.
Leslie Sykes’ personal life
Sykes and Patrick W. Spann are married. They currently reside in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of View Park-Windsor Hills with their son.
Leslie was absent from behind the desk of Channel 7 for a little while in the recent past. Her absence was felt by her fans, who raised concerns as to her whereabouts; however, the network did not make any formal statements regarding her whereabouts. Leslie most likely took a brief break for personal reasons.
What happened to Leslie Sykes?
Leslie’s mom passed away. Leslie was most likely absent from the news desk because of the passing of her mother, Sylvia Mae Thierry Sykes.
Leslie paid homage to her mother on Instagram on July 6, 2021. Sylvia Mae Sykes, Thierry “Always in my heart: Sunrise: 11.28.36; Sunset: 7.5.21,” she captioned the photo.
She is a mother and a wife, in addition to being a news anchor. Patrick W. Spann and Leslie are married, and they have a son together.
Read Also – What happened to Jacob Parker? Where is he and have the cops had any success in locating him?