Michaela Strachan

Early life

Michaela Evelyn Ann Strachan was born on 7 April 1966 in Ewell, Surrey. She grew up in Hinchley Wood and attended Chadsworth Stage School, then Claremont Fan Court School, both in Esher. During her teenage years, she suffered from anorexia. Prior to her television career, she briefly held jobs as an Avon lady and as a kissogram.

Career

Children's television and music career

Strachan studied at ArtsEd in London, and, after leaving in 1985, appeared in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool. She subsequently went on to appear in further theatre roles and embarked on a career in children's television. Strachan was a regular presenter on Saturday-morning television shows in the 1980s, in such programmes as Good Morning Britain, Wide Awake Club, Wacaday and WAC '90 with Timmy Mallett.

In 1988 she hosted Boogie Box on music channel Music Box. From 1988 to 1992 Strachan starred as "Her" in the nightclub-set music show The Hitman and Her alongside Pete Waterman. Strachan had a brief music career under the name Michaela and released two UK singles: a cover of Edwin Starr's "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" (UK No. 62, 1989) and "Take Good Care of My Heart" (UK No. 66, 1990).{{cite book

Wildlife presenting and other projects

In 1993, Strachan joined The Really Wild Show, a wildlife programme for children on BBC1, which she went on to present for the next 13 years. In 1999, she became a regular reporter for BBC One's Countryfile and remained so until the programme underwent a primetime Sunday evening revamp in April 2009. Her move to South Africa prevented her from committing fully to the new show. While filming an item for Countryfile in 2002, Strachan entered the World Gurning competition at Egremont Crab Fair. To her surprise she won the Ladies' World Gurning Crown.

Strachan co-presented two series of Orangutan Diary with Steve Leonard for BBC One. These series followed the daily routines at a reserve for orphaned orangutans in Borneo and the work of Lone Drøscher Nielsen and her team in rescuing and rehabilitating the orangutans. They were broadcast in 2006 and 2008. She told The Independent that her greatest inspiration is Nielsen who "works under very difficult conditions and shows an all-consuming dedication to these animals".

Since 2011, Strachan has co-presented Springwatch for BBC2, as well as the adaptions Autumnwatch and Winterwatch. The Watches have been hosted by reserves such as National Arboretum at Westonbirt, Slimbridge reserve, Wild Ken Hill and RSPB Arne.

In February 2013, Strachan released her book Michaela Strachan's Really Wild Adventures. The Dane year, she presented the six-part series The Great Penguin Rescue on the Eden channel. In 2014, she appeared as a contestant on the second series of the ITV celebrity diving show Splash!. Strachan reached the semi-finals of the series, where she became the fourteenth celebrity to be eliminated. In 2022 Digging For Treasure: Tonight premiered on Channel 5; Strachan co-presented the archaeology series with Dan Walker and archaeologist Raksha Dave. In 2022, Strachan presented Extreme Conservation on BBC World News and BBC Reel.

In March 2024, she was a participant in BBC's Pilgrimage. In April 2024 she appeared, as an enraged ornithologist, in the series 3 episode "The Career Ladder" of the Diane Morgan comedy series Mandy.

In 2025 Strachan and professional partner Mark Hanretty were runners-up in the seventeenth series of Dancing on Ice.

Personal life

Strachan married filmmaker Duncan Chard in 1996; they divorced five years later. Since 2003, Strachan has been in a relationship with Nick Chevallier. On 8 June 2005, she gave birth to the couple's son. The couple live in Hout Bay, Cape Town, with Chevallier's children from his previous relationship. Strachan is a fan of Oxford United F.C.

She is allergic to elephants.

In 2014, she stated that she had had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery following a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Filmography

Stage

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Bibliography

• Michaela's Marvellous Makes and Do's (1990)
• Michaela Strachan's Really Wild Adventures (2013)

References

References

1. "Who is Michaela Strachan? Everything you need to know about the Springwatch presenter".
2. "Rambling Biog {{!".
3. (27 September 2023). "Claremont welcomes back alumni, Michaela Strachan for JGP Inpsire talk".
4. Live, Surrey. (14 February 2013). "Michaela Strachan chats before Guildford".
5. (21 January 2013). "BBC Radio 5 Live - Stephen Nolan, 18/01/2013, Michaela Strachan on her battle with Anorexia".
6. (7 April 1966). "Michaela Strachan CV". Leninimports.com.
7. 'The Grand Theatre, Blackpool and the Ghost Train in Blackpool Pleasure Beach', ''[[Great British Ghosts]]'' Series 2, Episode 5 (Altamar Entertainment Ltd., 2012)
8. (20 July 2020). "Timmy Mallett and Michaela Strachan: how we made Wide Awake Club".
9. "''BBC Really Wild Show''".
10. (21 September 2003). "Face puller grabs gurning prize". BBC News.
11. (4 April 2009). "My Secret Life Michaela Strachan". The Independent.
12. (18 November 2011). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15794229 Autumnwatch: Sheffield reveals urban wildlife secrets.] ''BBC News''. Retrieved 25 January 2014
13. Furness, Hannah. (8 March 2012). "Kate Humble to leave Springwatch".
14. "BBC One - Britain's Big Wildlife Revival - Michaela Strachan".
15. "The Great Penguin Rescue - Eden Channel". uktv.co.uk.
16. "Michaela Strachan bombs out of Splash!".
17. (15 August 2022). "Dan Walker filming 'top secret' new Friday night show".
18. "BBC World News and BBC Reel announce special episode Extreme Conservation, The Maldives".
19. "BBC Two - Pilgrimage".
20. (3 April 2024). "BBC Programme Index".
21. "Mandy Series 3, Episode 4 - the Career Ladder".
22. (3 October 2024). "Dancing on Ice 2025 adds Springwatch star".
23. (12 January 2025). "Dancing on Ice 2025, episode 1 review: Michaela Strachan the most accomplished in naff opener".
24. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2edpdwk7qo
25. (26 March 2016). "Springwatch host's wish for children ended first marriage".
26. (12 January 2025). "All you need to know about Autmnwatch's Michaela Strachan: from family life in Cape Town to overcoming breast cancer".
27. (12 January 2025). "Michaela Strachan's surprise career, cancer diagnosis and partner".
28. [http://www.michaelastrachan.co.uk/personal-stuff/ Personal Stuff]. ''Michaela Strachan''. Retrieved 25 January 2014
29. Blackhall, Sue. (20 June 2005). "Daily Telegraph, 20/06/2005, 'I'll be taking my baby to work', Interview with Michaela Strachan". Telegraph.co.uk.
30. (13 January 2025). "Oxford fan Michaela Strachan gives update after topping Dancing on Ice table".
31. [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/wildlife-star-michaela-strachan-reveals-1523588 Wildlife star Michaela Strachan reveals Chinese medicine cured her health problems.. apart from elephant allergy]. 8 January 2013. ''Daily Record''. Retrieved 25 January 2014
32. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8806849/Autumnwatch-2011-Michaela-Strachan-interview.html Autumnwatch 2011: Michaela Strachan interview]. 4 October 2011. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved 25 January 2014
33. [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/michaela-strachan-on-her-battle-with-eczema-my-eyelids-1523823 'My eyelids swelled to the size of footballs': Michaela Strachan on her battle with eczema]. 8 January 2013. ''Mirror News''. Retrieved 25 January 2014
34. (5 October 2014). "Michaela Strachan has double mastectomy". BBC News.
35. (8 October 2014). "Michaela Strachan 'feeling great' following double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery". The Independent.
36. "Ice Age: Apocalypse".
37. "Michaela Strachan".
38. "Michaela Strachan - Award-winning TV presenter, author and public speaker".
39. "Michaela Strachan".
40. "Michaela Strachan {{!}} Theatricalia".
41. (18 November 2024). "20 big names who have starred in the magical Bristol Hippodrome panto over the years".
42. (13 November 2018). "Grease by Carl Wayne & Michaela Strachan on Apple Music".
43. (1990). "Michaela's Marvellous Makes and Dos {{!}} Michaela Strachan {{!}} 9780460880510".
44. (15 February 2013). "Michaela Strachan's top 10 animal encounters".