John Leonard

John Leonard was a news and sports journalist with more than four decades of experience, spending most of his career at ITN as a Programme Editor for both ITV News and Five News, having earlier worked as ITN’s sports news editor, shaping coverage of some of the most memorable sporting moments of his era. John trained with the BBC and spent several years as a journalist at Newsnight. Following his television career, John worked as part of the International Olympic Committee Newsroom media team, working on the Buenos Aires 2018 and Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games. A lifelong Stoke City FC fan, John also enjoyed a brief, ill-starred sporting career as a cross-country and middle-distance athlete with Staffordshire Moorlands AC.

Sadly, John passed away on 2 January 2026, shortly before the publication of Escape From Berlin. His final book recounts the story of a Jewish teenager’s courageous escape from Nazi Germany, aided by England defender Bert Sproston. Meticulously researched, this inspiring account captures the colliding worlds of sport and politics while highlighting the power of humanity in the bleakest of times. His previous book, Flight to Bogota: England’s Football Rebel, Neil Franklin, was longlisted for Football Book of the Year at the 2021 British Sports Book Awards, cementing John’s reputation as a writer with a rare ability to blend deep research with compelling storytelling.

John’s work stands as a testament to his journalistic craft and curiosity, as well as his enduring belief in the power of sport to illuminate the stories that shape us.

His titles include:

"Escape From Berlin," Pitch Publishing, May 2026

"Salute! The Inside Story of England's Own Goal at Berlin's Olympiastadion," Pitch Publishing, May 2024

"Flight to Bogota, Neil Franklin, England's Football Rebel," Pitch Publishing, September 2020 (Longlisted for Football Book of the Year, British Sports Book Awards, 2021)

"Tony Waddington, Director of a Working Man’s Ballet," Pitch Publishing, July 2018 (ISBN-13: 978-1-78531-423-0)

"Fair Game?" Pitch Publishing, June 2016 (ISBN: 978-1-78531-141-3)

"Why Delilah? Breaking Down the Premier League Door," North Staffordshire Press, November 2014 (ISBN: 978-0-9928305-0-2)