Michaela Strachan reveals the secret to TV success and why she’d love to sparkle on Strictly

THE TV presenter, 51, reveals the secret to telly success and why she’d love to sparkle on Strictly.

Due to star in Walking with Dinosaurs in 2018, Michaela Strachan meets with Fabulous’ Rachel Corcoran to talk about life at home, kids, and why she loves presenting wildlife shows.

Where: Grant Museum of Zoology, London

Fabulous: What have you been most excited about seeing at the museum today?

Michaela: I was looking at the orangutan and gibbon skeletons – it’s amazing how similar they are to us, except for those really long arms.

You started presenting The Really Wild Show 24 years ago. Why do you think it was a success?

It was a well-produced show and captured kids’ imaginations. The BBC does that kind of thing so well. In my childhood it was Animal Magic, then came The Really Wild Show, and after that it was Steve Backshall’s Deadly 60. There’s a thirst for kids to learn about nature, and I think most start with a love of wildlife.

Do you see presenter Chris Packham outside work?

Chris isn’t a terribly social person! But when we’re not working, I phone him to see how he is. I’m probably as social as it gets for Chris. We do have a great relationship – we just adore and respect each other, and I think having history is why we work so well on television together. You can’t buy that.

Have you watched his documentary on autism?

Yes, and it was really interesting. The only sad thing was that he came across as this lonely man in the forest, and when he was younger he was the life and soul. He used to do bonnet surfing, which was getting out on the car while it was being driven and surfing on the bonnet! Not on a motorway, obviously.

And you’ve been quite open about your own challenges in life…

I think if you have a voice it’s very good to use it if you can help other people, even if it’s difficult for you. With things like breast cancer [Michaela had a double mastectomy after being diagnosed in 2014], I know I’ve helped people and given them inspiration to know they’re going to be OK.

Home for you now is Cape Town. How different is life there compared with the UK?

I’ve lived there for 15 years [with partner Nick Chevallier, 58, a cameraman]. It’s really different, and sometimes when I hear people moaning about things in this country, I think: “Come and live in South Africa and see what real problems are like.” Where I live, we have a township that burned down in March. So many families are still homeless and living in 3x3m shacks in a field.

Will your children follow in your footsteps?

None of my step-kids [Jade, 29, and twins Tom and Sam, 27] showed interest in wildlife, but now they’re all totally into it, which shows passions can grow as you get older. Ollie [Michaela’s son with Nick] is 12 and his current obsession is cricket!

What would you like to do next?

I’d love to do Strictly and put all the glitter on. I’d really like to do an adult wildlife magazine show, too. There are so many important wildlife things going on that need airtime for people to know about them.

Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular tours the UK from July 2018 ().