What happened to Leslie Sykes?

Leslie Sykes was a popular news anchor on ABC7 Angeles Channel 7 Morning News until July 2021, when she suddenly disappeared from station programming — here’s what is known about what happened to Sykes during this period.

As of 2021, Sykes’ fans had good reason to be alarmed by her absence. A Southern California native, she’d worked at ABC7 since 1994 and was a familiar face on the morning and noon news shows. Neither ABC7 nor Sykes explained Sykes’ absence through the station’s channels, or on Sykes’ social media.

But Sykes’ personal Instagram account did offer one clue that might explain why the news anchor took some time away.

Leslie Sykes’ mother died in July, 2021

As of early 2024, there had still been no official explanation for Sykes’ time off from ABC7 in 2021. But in July of that year — the same month she seemingly disappeared — Sykes shared the news her mother died, so personal time to grieve likely caused her departure.

Leslie Sykes is trying new things

As of late 2023, Leslie Sykes seemed well and reported on her personal Instagram account she was trying new things, alongside a photo of an oil painting. “Trying oils for the first time. Happy Sunday,” Sykes’ post said.

Whatever the reason news anchor Leslie Sykes pressed pause on her career for a time back in 2021, she was back co-anchoring the ABC7 Morning Show, according to the ABC7 website.

Based on some Sykes’ painting Instagram comments, however, she may have again taken some time off work: “Happy New Year. Praying all is well. I miss you on the morning news 💜🙏🏾,” one post said.

As of Feb. 2024, Sykes is still listed on the station website, and that fact — combined with an Instagram video she shared on the new ABC7 news set just a few days before she shared the picture of her painting — leads us to believe, just like in 2021, wherever Sykes may have gone, it’s only temporary.