Micke Leijnegard Convicted of Sexual Harassment; SVT Responds
TV presenter Micke Leijnegard has been convicted of sexual harassment for kissing a colleague, with SVT pausing his assignments and Leijnegard planning to appeal.
- • Micke Leijnegard convicted of sexual harassment by Stockholm District Court.
- • Court orders fines totaling 30,000 SEK and 10,000 SEK in damages.
- • Leijnegard plans to appeal the conviction.
- • SVT paused Leijnegard’s assignments during the legal process and treated the case as an HR issue.
- • Victim relieved by court’s recognition of the violation of her sexual integrity.
Key details
Micke Leijnegard, a well-known Swedish TV presenter with a 17-year career at SVT, has been convicted by the Stockholm District Court for sexual harassment. The charges stem from an incident after filming the 2024 season of "Mästarnas mästare," where Leijnegard kissed a female colleague on the lips twice without her consent.
The court found this behavior to be a clear sexual offense, ordering Leijnegard to pay 40 daily fines of 750 SEK totaling 30,000 SEK, along with 10,000 SEK in damages to the victim. The victim expressed relief that the court recognized the gravity of the violation against her sexual integrity. Leijnegard initially sent an apology via text message following the incident, but the victim left the production and later filed a police report two months afterward.
Leijnegard’s defense contended that his actions, although inappropriate, were not criminal. However, the court rejected this, emphasizing the clear sexual nature of his conduct. Leijnegard has announced plans to appeal the verdict, stating, "We'll see you in court," and referring to the appellate process as meeting "in the Court of Appeal".
In response to the conviction, SVT confirmed it had been aware of the incident since it occurred and had paused Leijnegard’s assignments while the case was ongoing. Christina Hill, SVT's program manager, clarified that the matter was handled as a human resources issue prior to becoming a legal case, and no new information arose during the trial that would have prompted additional action by SVT. Leijnegard is known for hosting multiple SVT programs including "Mästarnas mästare," the Olympic studio, and "Melodifestivalen."
The ruling highlights issues of consent and sexual integrity within Sweden's media industry, with legal and employer responses underlining the seriousness of the case and its impact on both the victim and the accused broadcaster.
As of November 5, 2025, the legal process continues with the impending appeal, and public attention remains focused on the implications of the verdict for workplace conduct in Swedish television.