She’s been a familiar pre-dawn face for those who chose to start their mornings with KABC-7 in Los Angeles for years, and first joined the ABC Owned Stations property in 1994. Now, she’s saying farewell to local TV news after more than three decades behind the anchor desk and out in the field.
Leslie Sykes has “decided to retire,” the station said of its veteran pre-Good Morning America news anchor on Wednesday (8/27).
She first joined KABC-TV as a reporter, before taking a key role delivering Eyewitness News at 4am, 5am and 6am in one of the nation’s most competitive local TV news marketplaces for an early-morning information injection.
“Somehow, I blinked and I found myself here in this anchor chair, getting to wake up with all of you every morning and, boy, what a whirlwind it has been,” she said during her on-air announcement.
Leslie grew up in Compton, Calif. After graduating from Spelman College in Atlanta, she moved to Hattiesburg, Miss., to start her on-air career. Eventually, she returned to Southern California to cover the news in her hometown.
“Working here at Eyewitness News has been the privilege of my life,” said Sykes, who is expected to leave KABC-7 by the end of September. “This station has been my home, and you, our viewers, have been my extended family. As we all know, there is never a dull moment in this vast and vibrant city of ours. From wildfires, earthquakes, elections and parades, to traffic jams and even those infamous car chases, we have shared it all together. You’ve graciously welcomed me into your homes and I want you to know that I so appreciate it and I’ll never take it for granted.”
