Judith Chalmers | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation | Television presenter |
Years active | 1948–present |
Spouse | Neil Durden-Smith (m. 1964–present) |
Children | 2, including Mark Durden Smith |
Judith Rosemary Locke Chalmers OBE (born 10 October 1935) [1] is a British television presenter who is best known for presenting the travel programme Wish You Were Here...? from 1974 to 2003. [2]
Chalmers was born in Gatley, Cheshire. [3] Her father was an architect and her mother a medical secretary. [4] She had a sister, Sandra Chalmers. Both sisters were educated at Withington Girls' School, an independent day school in Fallowfield near Withington, Manchester. [5]
Chalmers began broadcasting for the BBC when she was only 13, after being selected for BBC Northern Children's Hour by producer Trevor Hill. [6] Her younger sister Sandra, who was later editor of Woman's Hour, also performed on Children's Hour. [7] Chalmers presented many programmes from Manchester, including Children's Television Club which later metamorphosed into Blue Peter based in London. [8] She spent some time at secretarial college in Manchester in the early 1950s. [9]
In the 1960s, Chalmers presented two major BBC radio programmes: Family Favourites and Woman's Hour. [10] [11] She also appeared as the original Susan in The Clitheroe Kid, and was a foil for Ken Dodd in his radio show. [12] [13] Chalmers presented ballroom dancing competition programme Come Dancing for the BBC from 1961 to 1965. [14]
During the 1970s, Chalmers regularly presented ITV's daytime magazine programme Good Afternoon and its successors, which included Afternoon Plus and A Plus. [15] She started presenting ITV's holiday programme Wish You Were Here? in 1974 and continued in this role until 2003, initially working alongside Chris Kelly, and later with John Carter. [16]
In the 1980s Chalmers was a regular host of the Miss World contest on ITV, also presenting the associated UK beauty pageants such as Miss United Kingdom and the British Beauty Championships. [17] Chalmers presented BBC Radio 2's mid-morning show from 1990 to 1992, taking over from Ken Bruce, who took over the show again following Chalmers's departure from the station in 1992. [18]
In 2001, Chalmers appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. [19] She took part in an episode of the BBC Two series Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, with her son Mark, in 2013. [20]
Her television appearances in later years have been limited to short spots on chat show programmes such as Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and Graham Norton's chat shows. [21] [22] [23] In 2017, Chalmers took part in Channel 5’s Celebrity Taste of Italy. [24]
Chalmers has been married to sports commentator Neil Durden-Smith since 1964. [25] The couple live in north London and have two children, television presenter Mark and Emma. [26] [27] Chalmers has six grandchildren. [28]
She was awarded an OBE in 1994. [29]