Leila McKinnon (born 28 September 1972) is an Australian journalist and TV show host. She works as a reporter and a fill-in presenter at Nine News and A Current Affair.
In 2022, McKinnon co-hosted Weekend Today and season 6 of Australian Ninja Warrior. She is the wife of former Channel Nine boss David Gyngell, and they share two tousle-haired children: Edmund and Gwendolen.
Leila McKinnon co-hosted the sixth season of Australian Ninja Warrior in 2022.
Quick Facts
Full name:
Leila McKinnon
Born:
28 September 1972 (age 51 years old)
Place of birth:
Tehran, Iran
Nationality:
Australian
Parent:
Dugald McKinnon
Education:
Journalism
Alma mater:
Queensland University of Technology
Occupation:
Journalist, television presenter, reporter
Years active:
1993-date
Employer:
Nine Network
Spouse:
David Gyngell (m. 2004)
Children:
Edmund McKinnon Gyngell Gwendolen Josephine Gyngell
Early life
Leila McKinnon was born on 28 September 1972 in Tehran, Iran. She comes from a family of mixed backgrounds.
Her father, Dugald ‘Mac’ McKinnon, is from New Zealand, while her mother is English. She holds a journalism degree from Queensland University of Technology.
Career
Leila McKinnon accepted a cadetship at WIN Television in Rockhampton and moved to WIN’s Cairns Bureau In 1993. She began to work with the Nine Network, reporting and presenting for Nine Gold Coast News in 1995.
After a three-year tenure, McKinnon joined A Current Affair in Brisbane as a reporter.
After a brief stint on a consumer affairs program, McKinnon moved to Sydney in late 2001 and returned to the news department. She replaced Ghidella as news presenter for Today in February 2005.
McKinnon returned to present National Nine Morning News, a morning bulletin. She relocated to Los Angeles with her husband, Australian businessman David Gyngell, in March 2006.
In 2007, Leila returned to Australia following her husband’s reappointment as the COE of the Nine Network. She has presented the summer edition of A Current Affair since her return.
Leila is regularly a filled-in on Nine News Morning Edition and Nine News Afternoon Edition.
McKinnon is known for her interrogation of Corey Worthington after his house party, which led to thousands of property damage losses. This interview is said to have inspired Project X.
McKinnon co-hosted Weekend Today alongside Cameron Williams, with Amber and Micheal Slater presenting the news and sport. The program launched in early February in response to Seven’s Weekend Sunrise. The show extended to Sunday mornings.
In December 2009, Leila co-hosted the Sydney New Year’s Eve telecast alongside Cameron Williams.
In 2012, McKinnon co-hosted the Nine’s award-winning coverage of the London Olympic games. She also conducted the first live interview with Princes William and Harry. She wrote a weekly rugby league column for NRL.com in 2011 and 2012.
Leila is the editor of Australia’s Favorite Recipes, a cookbook that raises money for the charity Legacy and features the family recipes of ordinary Australians.
McKinnon resigned from the Weekend Today to spend time with her family and focus on other projects on the Nine Network. Deborah Knight replaced her.
McKinnon and Nine News journalist Neil teamed up to host The Way It Was, a podcast that dissected the weekly cycle, in May 2017.
In 2022, McKinnon joined as one of the new hosts for the sixth season of Australian Ninja Warrior. The Nine Network canceled at the end of 2022 and did not return for a seventh season in 2023.
Personal Life
McKinnon and former Channel Nine boss David Gyngell tied the knot in December 2004. The duo met at Nine’s Willoughby studios.
Leila and David moved in together in early 2003, after which they announced their engagement in August after a romantic ball in Bali. McKinnon proudly showcased her diamond and platinum engagement ring during their relaxed celebration.
McKinnon underwent nine years of fertility treatment before becoming pregnant with her son. She gave birth to her first child, Edmund McKinnon Gyngell, in 2012 and her second child, Gwendolen Josephine Gyngell, in 2014. She has a dog named Roy.
Her father passed away after being in an induced coma for more than a month in 2017.
McKinnon had all her teeth moved and, in the process, widened her smile. She lifted her extra chin/neck gobble part and tightened her ever-loosening jawline. She had such a chronic open bite that she was losing the ability to chew.
Her dentist told her that these reliable molars were cracking under the strain and that she would lose them unless she took action.
