Guess who! She’s the Australian journalist and TV presenter who has been on screens for more than two decades – but would you recognise her from this rare childhood photo?
She’s the Australian journalist and TV presenter whose esteemed career spans more than two decades.
And on Saturday, rarely seen photos from her childhood were shared on Weekend Today.
The adventurous young girl was none other than Channel Nine journalist Leila McKinnon, who shared photos from her upbringing in Auckland.
Guess who? On Saturday, rarely seen photos from one very popular journalist’s childhood were shared on Weekend Today
One of the photos showed the media personality as a young girl reading a book on a sofa and of her posing on a bare tree.
Another image shown was of McKinnon as a beaming toddler leading a chestnut coloured horse, which was followed with a picture of her riding a white horse.
The 48-year-old broadcast Weekend Today live from New Zealand’s Lake Wanaka, in the Otago region with co-host, and fellow Kiwi, Richard Wilkins.
Who’s that girl? The adventurous young girl was none other than Channel Nine presenter Leila McKinnon, who shared photos from her upbringing in Auckland
Animal lover: Another image shown was of McKinnon as a beaming toddler leading a chestnut coloured horse (left) which was followed with a picture of her riding a white horse (right)
Homecoming: The 48-year-old broadcast Weekend Today live from New Zealand’s Lake Wanaka, in the Otago region with co-host, and fellow Kiwi, Richard Wilkins. Leila seen here in 2019
‘I grew up in Auckland. I was here till I was 15, that’s when I moved to Brisbane,’ she said of her childhood.
As the photos played, she joked: ‘I always knew how to strike a pose, that’s for sure.’
A picture from her teen years also appeared on screen, showing with a girl friend as the both sported voluminous perms.
‘Gee there’s no stopping you was there,’ Richard said, as Leila joked ‘no, especially with that perm.’
Upbringing: ‘I grew up in Auckland. I was here till I was 15, that’s when I moved to Brisbane,’ she said of her childhood
Leila began as a reporter and news presenter for Channel Nine’s Gold Coast desk in 1995.
During her time with the network she’s presented reports and news bulletins on A Current Affair, Today, and Weekend Today.
She married businessman David Gyngell – son of Australian television pioneer Bruce Gyngell – in 2004. The couple then moved to Los Angeles in 2006.
Career: Leila began as a reporter and news presenter for Channel Nine’s Gold Coast desk in 1995. During her time with the network she’s presented reports and news bulletins on A Current Affair, Today, and Weekend Today
They returned to Australia a year later, when David was appointed CEO of the Nine Network. He resigned from the role in 2015.
She then resumed her role at Nine, working across a variety of programs at the network.
The couple share two children – son Ted, nine, and daughter Gwendolen, seven.
Proud parents: She is married to David Gyngell, the former Channel Nine CEO. They share two children – son Ted, nine, and daughter Gwendolen, seven