REALLY WILD
Who is Michaela Strachan? Inside Dancing On Ice contestant’s life from Springwatch to surprising music career
Plus find out what show she hosted with a VERY famous Pop Idol star
WILDLIFE expert Michaela Strachan has been a fan favourite ever since she burst onto our screens in the 80s.
However, she is swapping the great outdoors for the ice rink to take part in Dancing On Ice.
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Michaela Strachan is an English television presenter
She was born on April 7, 1966, in Epsom, Surrey, and grew up in Hinchley Wood.
Before her many roles on national television, Michaela performed in theatre.
She launched her TV career in the 80s, and has remained in the spotlight ever since.
In October 2014, Michaela revealed that she had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery following a diagnosis of breast cancer.
In 2019, she revealed that she was cancer-free.
A fact about Michaela that people may not know, is that the band Scouting for Girls dedicated a song to the wildlife expert called Michaela Strachan You Broke My Heart (When I Was 12).
This appeared as a hidden track on their 2007 debut album at the end of the song I Wish I Was James Bond.
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Impressive TV career
Michaela has had a glittering career as a presenter working mostly on nature programmes, with kids of the 80s knowing her for the children's show, The Really Wild Show.
Alongside these, she presented Wide Awake Club and appeared on the original Good Morning Britain.
'Calm down' barks Springwatch's Chris Packham as fans rage 'this isn't CITV' after Michaela Strachan's hyper outburst live on air
Up until 2009, Michaela was a regular reporter for BBC One show, Countryfile.
These days Michaela is best known for being one of the hosts of BBC shows Springwatch
and Winterwatch.
She presents the show alongside Chris Packham, her former Really Wild Show co-star.
They also hosted Autumnwatch until 2023, before the much-loved BBC show was axed.
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In October 2024, it was announced that Michaela would be taking part in Dancing On Ice 2025.
She said: “I was considered for the show 14 years ago - I’ve been considered for it twice - but this year they’ve asked me to do it, and I said yes.”
Pop career
Although fans know her for TV, the star had a brief pop career under the stage name Michaela.
As a singer, she released two singles - a cover and an original song - which both had chart success, reaching the UK Top 100 Charts.
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Her song Take Good Care of My Heart reached number 66 on the charts in 1990.
After ditching singing herself, she went onto host the music show The Hitman and Her between 1988 and 1992 with Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman.
Happy family
Michaela married filmmaker Duncan Chard in 1996, but they divorced five years later in 2001.
The pair did not have any children together.
Speaking with in 2016, Michaela revealed: "I'd never been someone desperate to have children and then I changed my mind.
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"It was quite a fundamental difference between us and it ended the marriage."
A friend introduced her to future long-term partner and cameraman Nick Chevallier in 2003.
She gave birth to their son Oliver on June 8, 2005.
The family now live in Cape Town with Ollie, and Nick's three children from a previous relationship.
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