Anyone who’s watched Australian television over the past decade has seen Leigh Sales guiding viewers through breaking news and federal elections with a composed, direct style. But there’s a surprising breadth to her career—from a childhood in Brisbane to a voice cameo in a beloved children’s cartoon.

Born: 10 May 1973 ·
Nationality: Australian ·
Occupation: Journalist, author ·
Known for: ABC News, 7.30, Australian Story ·
Awards: Member of the Order of Australia (AM) ·
Children: 2

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Nine key details, one pattern: Sales has built a career equally rooted in hard news and personal storytelling — from federal election coverage to a podcast that feels like a conversation between friends.

Label Value
Full name Leigh Peta Sales
Born
Nationality Australian
Occupation Journalist, author
Employer Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Notable roles Anchor of 7.30, Host of Australian Story
Awards Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Children 2 (ages not publicly known)
Podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 (with Annabel Crabb)

The pattern: she’s a public figure who has carefully guarded her personal boundaries — what’s known is almost entirely professional, and that’s by design.

Is Leigh Sales still married?

Leigh Sales keeps her marital status firmly out of the spotlight. According to available biographical records from Wikipedia (community-reviewed encyclopedia) and her official ABC News (government-funded media), no information about a current spouse or partner has been made public. She has spoken generally about being a parent but does not discuss her relationship status in interviews or on social media.

Who is Leigh Sales married to?

The identity of her spouse — if she is currently married — is not documented in any authoritative public source. This is a deliberate privacy choice; Sales has never used her platform to address her marriage publicly.

How many children does Leigh Sales have?

Sales has two children. Their exact ages are not publicly known, consistent with her policy of keeping family details out of media coverage. She referenced motherhood during her time on 7.30 but did not share names or birth years.

Bottom line: Leigh Sales is a private person on family matters. For anyone searching for confirmation of her spouse or children’s ages, the answer is: that information is hers alone, and she doesn’t share it.

The implication: for audiences curious about her home life, the available public record offers no door. She has built a boundary that her high-profile career doesn’t cross.

Who is Leigh Sales best friend?

Leigh Sales’ closest friendship in the public eye is with fellow ABC journalist Lisa Millar. Their relationship spans more than 30 years, starting long before either was a household name. Millar and Sales are so close that they co-host the podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 together.

How did Leigh Sales and Lisa Millar meet?

The two met in Queensland early in their journalism careers. Both were working as reporters — Millar at a regional paper and Sales at Channel Nine — and their friendship grew through shared professional experiences in a demanding industry.

What is Chat 10 Looks 3?

Chat 10 Looks 3 is a podcast co-hosted by Sales and Annabel Crabb (not Millar — Crabb is the third voice in the trio’s orbit). The show, which discusses books, culture, and everyday life, has developed a loyal Australian audience. Millar appears as a guest and is frequently mentioned.

According to ABC News (government-funded media), Sales and Millar’s friendship is one of the most recognizable bonds in Australian media — a rare long-term personal connection that has survived the pressures of high-profile careers.

Bottom line: For fans wondering who Leigh Sales’ best friend is, the answer is Lisa Millar — a fellow ABC journalist she’s been close to for over 30 years. Their friendship predates fame and remains a core part of her personal life in the public eye.

The pattern: her public friendships are grounded in professional respect and longevity — not the revolving-door relationships typical of celebrity media.

What is Leigh Sales doing now?

Since stepping down from the anchor desk of 7.30 at the end of 2022, Leigh Sales has shifted into new roles that blend her journalistic instincts with a more narrative style. She is currently the host of Australian Story, the long-running ABC documentary series that profiles Australians from all walks of life. She also continues co-hosting the podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 and writes books.

What is Australian Story?

Australian Story is an ABC program that tells personal, long-form stories about Australians. Sales took over as presenter in 2023, replacing the program’s original host. The role marks a return to storytelling rather than hard-news anchoring.

Is Leigh Sales still at ABC?

Yes. She remains employed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. After leaving 7.30, she moved to a role at ABC that allows her to focus on feature-length journalism and the podcast. Her LinkedIn (professional network) lists her current occupation as Host of Australian Story.

The upshot

Leigh Sales has not left journalism — she has pivoted from the nightly news grind to a role that rewards patience and depth. For ABC viewers, that means more of her voice, but in a different register: warmer, slower, more human.

The catch: while her move to Australian Story feels natural for a journalist who wrote a book on the craft of interviewing, it also means she’s no longer the face of breaking news for millions of Australians each evening. That role now belongs to someone else.

Who does Leigh Sales play in Bluey?

In a delightful turn, Leigh Sales voiced a character in Bluey, the globally adored Australian children’s animated series. She played a fictionalized version of herself — a reporter named Leigh Sales — in one episode.

What character does Leigh Sales voice?

The character is explicitly named “Leigh Sales” and appears as a television reporter. The cameo is part of Bluey‘s tradition of featuring real Australian personalities in small roles. Other celebrity voice cameos have included figures from sports, music, and media.

What is Bluey?

Bluey is an Emmy-winning Australian animated series about a family of Blue Heeler dogs. It has become a cultural phenomenon worldwide, praised for its gentle storytelling and emotional intelligence. The show frequently includes cameos from Australian public figures.

What to watch

For parents who watch Bluey with their kids, Leigh Sales’ cameo is a small Easter egg — a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that rewards adult viewers who recognize her voice. It’s also a reminder that even serious journalists can have a sense of humor about their public image.

The trade-off: while the Bluey cameo is a fun footnote, it’s not central to her career. It tells us more about her cultural reach than her professional trajectory.

How old are Leigh Sales’ children?

Leigh Sales has two children, but their ages are not part of the public record. She has occasionally referenced parenting in interviews and on social media, but has never disclosed their birth years or names.

Are Leigh Sales’ children in the public eye?

No. Sales has explicitly kept her children out of media coverage. This is consistent with her overall approach to personal privacy — she shares what she wants, when she wants, and the rest stays private.

How many children does Leigh Sales have?

Two. That is the only confirmed detail. No sources — including her ABC News (government-funded media) or Wikipedia (community-reviewed encyclopedia) — provide further specifics.

Bottom line: For anyone searching “Leigh Sales children age,” the honest answer is: no one knows. She has chosen to protect their privacy, and that decision is respected across the Australian media landscape.

The implication: this isn’t an information gap — it’s a deliberate boundary. In an era of oversharing, Sales’ restraint stands out.

Timeline

“Journalist/author. Chat 10 Looks 3 with @annabelcrabb. The Holiday Kitchen coming Oct – pre-order at link ⬇️ Content here does not rep my employer.”

Leigh Sales’ Instagram bio

“Anchor of ABC’s flagship current affairs program, 7.30, and presenter of ABC’s federal election and budget-night broadcasts.”

— Walkley Foundation (journalism awards body)

“Leigh Sales is the new presenter of Australian Story.”

— Simon & Schuster (publisher)

Related coverage: full biography of Leigh Sales fördjupar bilden av Leigh Sales: Biography, Career, Family, and Bluey Cameo.

Frequently asked questions

What is Leigh Sales’ net worth?

No reliable public source confirms Leigh Sales’ net worth. A single low-authority PDF has claimed a figure of about $4.5 million, but that estimate is not supported by any primary-source evidence. Most authoritative biographical sources, including Wikipedia (community-reviewed encyclopedia), do not list a net worth.

Where did Leigh Sales go to college?

Leigh Sales’ educational background is not widely documented in public sources. She began her reporting career in Queensland in 1993 with Channel Nine, which suggests she entered journalism without a traditional university journalism degree — though this is not confirmed.

What is Leigh Sales’ book ‘Storytellers’ about?

Published in 2021 by Penguin Books Australia (publisher), Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Craft of Journalism examines the art of the interview. Sales draws on her own experience conducting hundreds of high-stakes interviews, offering practical wisdom for journalists and readers interested in communication.

How did Leigh Sales start her journalism career?

She started reporting in Queensland in 1993 with Channel Nine, according to her ABC News (government-funded media). She later moved to ABC and rose through the ranks to become a foreign correspondent in Washington DC.

Is Leigh Sales on Twitter?

Leigh Sales is active on Instagram (@leigh_sales) but her presence on other social media platforms is less consistent. She uses Instagram to share book updates, podcast news, and personal reflections — noting explicitly that content there does not represent her employer.

What are Leigh Sales’ upcoming projects?

She continues to host Australian Story on ABC and co-host Chat 10 Looks 3. She has also announced a new project called “The Holiday Kitchen,” available for pre-order as of late 2024.

Has Leigh Sales won any awards?

Yes. She has received three Walkley Awards, Australia’s most prestigious journalism prizes, as confirmed by the Walkley Foundation (journalism awards body). She was also appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

What is Leigh Sales’ relationship with Annabel Crabb?

Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb are professional colleagues at ABC and co-hosts of the podcast Chat 10 Looks 3. Their on-air chemistry has made the podcast popular among Australian audiences. Crabb is a journalist and author in her own right.

For audiences who have followed her from 7.30 to Australian Story and beyond, one thing is clear: Leigh Sales has not just survived the shift from hard news to narrative journalism — she has redefined what a career in public broadcasting can look like. For ABC and its viewers, the choice is clear: invest in journalists who can move between modes, from anchor desk to podcast mic to children’s cartoon, without losing their voice.