Leighton Smith

Who is Leighton Smith?

Leighton Smith is an Australian-born award-winningtalkback radio host based in Auckland, New Zealand. He is on air, Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and midday NZST on foreign-owned media conglomerate, Newstalk ZB.

Leighton started his broadcasting career on Sydney's SCH as a "junior disco jockey". He moved to New Zealand for a one-year stint with 2ZB in Wellington in 1980, but stayed for five years.

After a brief stint on a radio in Adelaide, Smith was back in Auckland in 1985 at 1ZB, soon renamed Newstalk ZB. He has been there ever since in the 8:30am to midday timeslot.

Singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn said recently he found God after being interviewed by Smith on his short-lived Sky TV show.

In a 2007 interview with libertarian magazine the Free Radical, he described himself as somewhat libertarian. He owns the Clevedon Hills vineyard, near Auckland.

Leighton Smith won Best Talk Back Host or Hosts - All Markets at the 2013 New Zealand Radio Awards and at the end of 2013 he released his book "Beyond the Microphone"