Francis Leach

Francis Leach is probably the most unusual broadcaster/journalist operating in Australia today. Isn’t he that guy who spent 13 years at the ABC’s national youth radio network Triple J? Yes, that’s where he became a legendary DJ, rocking the airwaves for the better part of a decade before getting his game face on and tackling politicians and the tough issues on Triple J’s daily current affairs program, The Morning Show. In 2003 he spent a year at Radio National hosting their daily contemporary arts program “the Deep End” had him elbow deep in pop corn reviewing movies and contemplating just how Tracy Emin’s unmade bed could be considered a work of contemporary artistic genius. He concluded it was actually a load of bollocks. All the while he was playing with his foot boots on. In 2002 Leach was a member of the inaugural Fox Footy Channel team that covered AFL footy for Foxtel. His column for The Age newspaper “Patience of a Saint” was a study in the pain, suffering and sheer madness of supporting St.Kilda and ran for two years until they finally found a straight jacket for him that was in club colors. He also created one of Melbourne 774 ABC radio’s greatest success stories, “When Saturday Comes” The show became a Saturday morning radio sensation. It was a footy show with a difference where the only rule was that no footballers were allowed on the program.  They spoil it when they talk. He’s been around the way and back since then, and these days can be found hosting The Run Home drive program with former Demon great David “The Ox” Schwarz on Melbourne’s home of sport 1116 SEN. He’s also part of 1116 SEN’s AFL commentary team and is host of the stations coverage of the Hyundai A-League as well as the Socceroos quest for World Cup glory. Above all else he’s a devoted father and husband, a mad Arsenal fan, a uni student, the owner of delightful puppy and the curator of Australia’s most ridiculous collection of American political campaign paraphernalia.