Leona Graham was educated at Berkhamsted School for Girls in Berkhamsted. She then studied at the University of Warwick from 1989 to 1993 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama. She is also a qualified school teacher.[12]
Radio broadcasting
Early career
She began her career in broadcasting at W963 University Radio Warwick (now Radio Warwick)[14] where she presented the "Thursday Night Rock Show" and a nightly magazine style news programme called "Weekday Warwick".
Before joining Virgin Radio in 2000 Leona Graham worked for a number of radio stations, at first for low pay and during the night.[12][15][16]
From
To
Station/Employer
Slot/Function
01/1995
06/1995
Choice 102.2
Presenter 2-6am
08/1995
08/1996
Power FM
Breakfast Show co-host
Presenter of Early Breakfast 5-6am
08/1996
03/1998
96.4 The Eagle
Presenter 2-6pm weekdays
03/1998
11/1999
Surf 107.2
Breakfast Show DJ
11/1999
03/2000
Core DAB Radio
Presenter weekdays 2-7pm
Virgin Radio
Leona Graham joined Virgin as a presenter in April 2000.[10] During her time with Virgin Radio she presented a variety of shows: Virgin Radio UK Album Charts, Virgin Radio Party, Teenage Kicks, 80′s Anthems, Smells like the 90′s, The Classic Rock Show, The Late Show, Virgin Love and Weekend Breakfast.[17][18]
She was the second presenter heard on Virgin's digital station Virgin Classic Rock at its launch in 2003.[10]
Absolute Radio
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2016)
Leona stayed after Virgin Radio was re-branded as "Absolute Radio". She works both as a main presenter and a fill-in presenter.
She can be heard every weekday from 10.00am to 8.00pm across three stations: main station (till 1.00pm); then Classic Rock station (till 4.00pm) and finally 80s station. On Saturday, she works from 12.00pm to 6.00pm, first with Classic Rock station (till 4.00pm) and finally 80s station.[11][19]
On 9 January 2012, Leona took over the weekday 1.00pm-5.00pm slot for three months on Absolute Radio following the departure of Nick Jackson until Andy Bush arrived at the station.
Leona has recently[when?] set up her own Voice over production Company called High Voltage Media.
Leona has been the voice for BBC Radio One, BBC 5 LIVE, 95.8 Capital FM, The BOX, E4, Virgin Radio and Absolute Radio. She also contributes regularly for BBC1, ITV1 and SKY1 and narrates programmes for Channel 4. She is also known for her voice in movie trailers on Virgin Media TV.[16][22][23]
More recently[when?] she started working with Orion Media to produce trailers for its stations BRMB, Mercia and Wyvern FM and is one of the voices of Canadian radio station 102.3 Now Radio in Edmonton.
Awards
In 2010 Absolute Radio received a Bronze Sony Radio Academy Award in the category Best Station Imaging for its imaging package in which Leona Graham was one of the major contributors as Absolute Radio's station voice.[24][25]
