David Leckie funeral: Australian TV giant farewelled in live-streamed event

Legendary television executive David Leckie was remembered as both nurturing and ruthless as he was farewelled on Friday in a ceremony that was livestreamed, fittingly, in the format of a well-produced TV show.

His wife Skye led the tributes to the former Channel 7 chief executive, who died on Tuesday, aged 70, following a long illness.

Family members, including Skye, his three sons, Tim, Harry and Ben and his father Ron gathered to say goodbye at the COVID-restricted funeral at Sydney’s Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens Crematorium.

Just 10 people could attend in person, but many more watched on as industry heavyweights recalled their memories of the “rock star” chief executive who dominated the ratings of two networks in a career that spanned 40 years.

Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, in a video tribute played at the ceremony, said of Mr Leckie was a man who was “loved by creatives and feared by every accountant” .

Mr Stokes said his like would not be seen again, adding: “No company would have the sort of flamboyance that David brought.”

Seven’s current chief executive, James Warburton, described Mr Leckie as “the last of the rock star CEOs” .

“He was so much fun,” he said. “He was cheeky and he was naughty, and he knew it.”

Seven presenter Sonia Kruger said Mr Leckie loved to promote talent at the network, both in front of and behind the camera.

“He had equal respect for on-air presenters as he did for great cameramen and EPs and all the people who make up that whole television spectrum,” she said.

Ben Leckie, the youngest of Mr Leckie’s two sons with his second wife Skye, said his father would have laughed at the description of him as a “rock star”.

“We knew he was special, but a rock star? I think you’d be having a good laugh over that. He’d probably say, ‘this must be the first time only 10 people turned up to farewell a rock star’,” he said.

“To us, he was Dad, to Mum, he was Davo, to his competitors, critics and detractors — and there were a few of them — he was a whole lot of things that are best left unsaid today.”

Ben Leckie said his father had taught him to back himself — “he taught me to zig when everyone zagged and ... instilled core values that make me who I am”.

Elder son Harry joked that even though Mr Leckie was devoted to his wife, he also had a mistress — the television screen.

He said the best thing about his Dad was that he pushed people to be the best at what they wanted to be.

Mr Leckie was head of Seven from 2003 until 2010, then boss of Seven West Media, the publisher of The West Australian, until 2012, before becoming an adviser and leaving the company in 2016. Before joining Seven, he led the Nine Network from 1990 to 2001.