TV presenter Gabby Logan sworn in as Leeds’ newest university’s first chancellor

She began her role on campus by meeting students who interviewed her at the university’s television studio before giving them tips on how to succeed in broadcast journalism.

The TV star, who was one of the BBC’s main presenters during the 2012 London Olympics, is returning to the city where she was born and grew up.

She said: “I’m honoured to be appointed as Leeds Trinity University’s first chancellor. I support its ethos which is very close to my own,” she said.

“I’m a firm believer in the importance of higher education, having seen the enormous benefits that my own university experience has given me.

“I hope I can help talented young people realise their ambitions. Last but not least it is so good to be able to hold this position in Leeds, which I still think of as my home city.”

She added: “ The university is already a success. Ninety three per cent of its students go onto employment within six months which is a phenomenal success and some of its courses have a 100 per cent satisfaction rate.

“I feel like I am jumping on board an already buoyant ship.”

She was born in Leeds in 1973 while her father Terry Yorath was playing for Leeds United.

Growing up in the city as a catholic she attended Cardinal Heenan RC High School and Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College and becomes chancellor of one of the only universities in the country with catholic foundations.

Leeds Trinity became the city’s third university last month after its bid was approved by the Privy Council. It has been a university college since 2009 with the power to award its own degrees.

Professor Margaret House, Leeds Trinity’s newly appointed vice chancellor, said: “To have gained university title and to have someone as impressive as Gabby as our first chancellor, says much for what Leeds Trinity can achieve in the future.”

Leeds Trinity has benefited from a Government decision to relax rules over how big a higher education provider has to be in order to be a university.

Previously institutions needed 4,000 students to become a university but this has now been cut to 1,000.

Leeds Trinity, which has more than 3,000 students, applied for a full university title earlier this year.