A year in purgatory

John Leslie's nightmare is finally over today. He was one of British television's rising stars, when his world disintegrated last autumn amid allegations of rape and sex assault.

He was earning £250,000 a year as the handsome star of daytime television, receiving 1,000 fan letters a week as co-presenter of ITV1's This Morning.

Leslie could double his income with personal appearances and promotions and enjoyed the A-list lifestyle of fast car, designer home and an endless stream of showbusiness parties.

But Leslie, who now hopes to rebuild his career, saw everything slip away last October, when news broke of Ulrika Jonsson's claim in her autobiography, Honest, that she had once been date-raped in a hotel room by a man she identified only as a well-known TV presenter.

Days of speculation followed before Leslie was unmasked when Matthew Wright inadvertently said his name during his live Channel 5 TV show.

Jonsson has never spoken to police about her allegations but weeks later, on December 5, he was arrested and questioned by detectives from Scotland Yard's special inquiry team, looking into complaints by other women. After months of doubt he was charged, in June, with two allegations of indecent assault against a 23-year-old actress.

With no job, and no more invitations to showbusiness events, Leslie had become a recluse at his home in Sheen. Savings allowed him to meet his £5,000 a month mortgage and run his Porsche 911, but legal costs have since forced him to put the £1.5 million home up for sale.

Rare sightings of him window-shopping with his loyal girlfriend Abby Titmuss revealed that the dashing 6ft 5in Scot had been comfort eating and the boyish good looks of the former Blue Peter presenter were disappearing.

Friends told how the ex-Wheel of Fortune host was afraid of being spat at or attacked in the street and his rare meals out were no longer at The Ivy, but his local Pizza Express.

At one stage, close friends feared he might take his own life. Yvette Fielding, who had presented Blue Peter with him, said: "We all thought John was on the brink of suicide.

"His career meant everything to him and all of a sudden it was all taken away. He lost all interest in living and seemed a broken man."

In recent months, he had been edging back into public life. But it appeared his hopes of a comeback were dashed when charges were brought. Today's move will pave the way for his rehabilitation - and it is understood a video diary of his ordeal could see him return to television screens.

Anthea Turner, who presented Blue Peter with Leslie in the early 1990s, greeted with relief the news that sex charges are set to be dropped. "I'm glad that the ordeal John has endured since this all started appears to be over," she said."I hope that from this day forward John will be able to start to rebuild his life."

After being charged last month, Leslie said: "There is absolutely no truth in the charge made against me. To be accused of such a crime when you are innocent is a heavy burden but if you are in the media spotlight it is a particularly cruel experience.

"Without my girlfriend Abby, the tremendous loyalty of my friends and their support, this ongoing nightmare would have been unbearable."