John Leslie returned to This Morning for the first time in 16 years after being cleared of sexual assault claims last month.
John, 53, was accused of putting his hand down the back of a woman’s trousers and touching her bottom as they danced on her hen night in the Atik nightclub in Edinburgh last June.
The former Blue Peter presenter admitted to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that he’s emotional that he’s been able to return to the daytime show.
Read more: John Leslie cleared of sexual assault in Edinburgh
He said: “I’m in a bit of a state really. I can’t believe I’m back here to be honest, it’s been an emotional day knowing that I was coming on the show and thanks for inviting me on.
“But even this building, being the BBC, was obviously where my career started all those years ago and This Morning where my career ended. So it’s been quite a journey.”
John presented This Morning between 1999 and 2002 and Phil replaced him in 2003.
After the allegations were made against him, John released a statement at the time denying the allegations.
Earlier this year, he had a two-day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and the charge was found to be not proven and John was told he was free to leave.
Revealing why he wanted to speak out now, John said: “I just wanted a quiet life, and was living away from the media but I just feel my reputation follows me around.”
John revealed he “became a target” when out in public and he feels “enough is enough”.
The former Wheels of Fortune host went on to give his side of the story of what happened last year.
He said: “I worked at this club since I was a boy – it gave me a start in life.
“This was another opening VIP night. I went along to see old bosses and see the club again.”
He continued: “There was a hen party and they came over to say hello. They were all very friendly.”
John said towards the end of the night, the bride-to-be allegedly asked him to be her last dance before she tied the knot.
He said: “I gave her a kind of slow waltz then I left the dance floor.
“Just before I was about to leave, I got a knock on the shoulder by one of the door stewards.
“He said: ‘There was an allegation made about you with the bride.’ I was like, ‘Well that’s impossible.'”
After being cleared of the allegations, John said he was “still in a state of shock” at how he was “charged so soon without any investigation”.
He told Holly and Phil: “It should never have gone to court.”
When asked if he believes those accused of sexual assault should be able to remain anonymous until proven guilty, John replied: “I am living proof that it’s got to stop.
“You can’t have your life ruined on the back of false allegations… I’m all for one being named if being charged, but I don’t think you should be named if found not guilty.
“There has to be a level of proof before your life is ruined.”
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Phil said: “John, I sit here on this sofa because of your misfortune and what happened to you all those years ago, and you must’ve thought ‘it’s happening again…’.”
John replied: “I know I was a bit of an idiot at times, and I can only apologise if I was that, but there was never anything illegal, I was never assaulting anybody.
“I couldn’t handle the life of television… I just loved the job, and that world, I was too much of a party boy and too young to handle it all.”
When asked if he would like to return to TV, John said: “Not really. I don’t think I can handle it. I miss this [This Morning] it’s an experience, and I feel like I’m in a parallel universe.”
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