Janet A Leigh
Janet A Leigh is a TV writer at Digital Spy who focuses on television reviews, features and watch-guides across drama, crime, reality and genre series. Her work links individual shows to broader trends, often looking at how casting, character arcs and format tweaks shape the viewing experience. She combines critical analysis with practical recommendations, giving readers reasons to invest in a series and clear pointers on what to watch next.
TV reviews and character-led analysis
Leigh’s core output is review-led coverage that explains why a show works and where it falls short, with a consistent focus on tone, pacing and character development. In her review of Sky’s dark mystery series Possession, she explores how its “dark and twisty” nature, structure and atmosphere come together, weighing up whether the series rewards the viewer’s investment. Her piece on Suranne Jones’ Vigil season 3 looks at how the show satisfies a “hunger for a slow” unfolding narrative, reflecting on pacing, tension and the demands of serialized storytelling. Across these reviews, she uses specific examples from plot and character to describe the experience of watching, rather than relying on generic praise.
Leigh frequently zooms in on individual contributors and characters to anchor her criticism.
Her article on Nigella Lawson’s role on The Great British Bake Off assesses Nigella as “a brilliant addition” but unpacks how she is “not bringing what you might have expected,” indicating a style that tests assumptions about star power and format chemistry. In her Stranger Things Part 2 feature on Will’s queer arc, she examines how the season “salvages” that storyline, concentrating on representation, emotional payoff and the way long-running shows manage sensitive character trajectories.
This pattern - using well-known figures or specific arcs to interrogate a show’s choices - marks her coverage out from more surface-level recaps.
What to watch guides and trending TV
Alongside reviews, Leigh produces watch-guides that curate “addictive” and “heart-racing” titles across linear TV and streaming platforms. Her list of “5 incredibly addictive shows to watch after the BBC’s” series positions new options as follow-ons, indicating an approach that builds viewing pathways around audience favourites.
In a weekly guide framed around Lesley Manville’s returning British thriller, she pairs that headline show with six other recommendations, sketching out a roster that spans different tones while sharing a high-engagement, suspense-driven feel.
Leigh also writes more general roundups of “the hottest trending shows that you need to watch right now,” pushing beyond a single broadcaster or genre.
These pieces group titles by shared appeal - twist-heavy plotting, emotional intensity, or cultural buzz - rather than by release date alone. The combination of themed lists and weekly “what to watch” coverage positions her as a service-oriented writer who helps readers navigate crowded schedules, while still reflecting her own emphasis on drama, mystery and character-driven series.
British drama, crime series and prestige projects
British drama and crime series run through Leigh’s work, from returning staples to new prestige projects. Her coverage of a record-breaking Jersey-set crime drama returning for a second season underlines her interest in long-form crime storytelling and in how location and legacy shape a show’s identity.
The piece emphasises the series’ ratings performance and the significance of its comeback, situating it within current TV trends rather than treating it as an isolated announcement.
Leigh also writes about upcoming BBC dramas that draw together recognisable faces from shows such as The Responder and Sherwood and set them within ambitious new concepts, including ’60s-set stories built around global icons. In these casting and development pieces she highlights ensembles, eras and source material, treating them as signals of tone and ambition rather than simple production notes.
This strand of her coverage consistently tracks how British broadcasters package crime, prestige and nostalgia to stand out in the wider TV market.
Awards, reality formats and industry recognition
Industry recognition and reality formats are another established part of Leigh’s beat.
Her article on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors landing a best-in-category nomination at the TRIC Awards links a popular reality format to the awards circuit, showing how audience hits translate into peer recognition. In her coverage of BAFTA’s Television Special Award going to a British daytime TV figure, she profiles the recipient’s impact on the medium and explains why the honour matters within the broader landscape of daytime programming. These pieces combine awards news with contextual analysis, highlighting the relationship between critical acclaim, institutional recognition and everyday viewing.
Leigh’s wider career has built a strong base in analytical testing and journalism that informs this work. She spent six years at the Good Housekeeping institute, ultimately serving as Acting Head of Food testing, where she honed structured reviewing skills and a disciplined approach to assessing products and experiences. Over the same period she freelanced in film and TV journalism, interviewing A-list actors such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson, experience that has carried into her red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton and her coverage of events like the BAFTAs.
Since joining Digital Spy in 2021 as a TV writer, she has also appeared as a commentator on outlets including BBC Radio and London Live, extending her television expertise beyond the page.
Across reviews, guides and industry features, Leigh’s work is distinguished by a blend of narrative-focused criticism and practical viewing advice rooted in mainstream and prestige television. She writes for an audience that watches copious amounts of TV and wants help choosing what deserves attention, drawing on an analytical background and years of interviewing talent to provide coverage that is both clear-eyed and attuned to how shows land with viewers.
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Adam White
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