Michaela Strachan Biography

Michaela Evelyn Ann Strachan (born 7 April 1966) is an English television presenter.

Early life

Born in Ewell, Surrey, Strachan grew up at Hinchley Wood and attended Chadsworth Stage School, then Claremont Fan Court School, both in Esher. In her teens, she suffered from anorexia Later, while at ArtsEd London, she briefly held jobs as an Avon lady and as a kissogram. After her years at ArtsEd, Strachan performed in theatre, before moving on to children's television.

Personal life

Strachan is a vegetarian. She married filmmaker Duncan Chard in 1996, but they divorced five years later. On 8 June 2005, she gave birth to her son Oliver with partner Nick Chevallier. The couple live in Hout Bay, Cape Town with Chevallier's children: daughter Jade (1988) and twin sons, Tom and Sam (1990).

Career

Television

Strachan was a presenter on Saturday morning television in the 1980s, being involved in such programmes as TV-am and Wide Awake Club with Timmy Mallett. In 1988, she hosted Boogie Box on music channel Music Box. From 1988 to 1992, Strachan starred as "Her" in the music show The Hitman and Her alongside Pete Waterman. In 1993, Strachan joined The Really Wild Show, a wildlife programme for children on BBC One, until its cancellation in 2006. She has also featured in a small acting role in the BBC sitcom Game On.

She was a regular reporter for BBC One's Countryfile for many years 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.

More recently Strachan has presented a number of wildlife shows for Channel 5. These include Michaela's Zoo Babies, Michaela's Animal Road Trip, Animal Rescue Squad, Animal Rescue International, and Michaela's Wild Challenge.

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 Lone Drøscher Nielsen who "works under very difficult conditions, and shows an all-consuming dedication to these animals".

Strachan took part in a celebrity version of the TV show Total Wipeout, which aired on 18 September 2010.

In 2011, she presented a series of programmes called Great British Ghosts shown on the UKTV-operated channel Yesterday. In it, she travels Britain going to various haunted buildings and finding out what the stories behind the ghost sightings are.

Starting 10 July 2012, Strachan presented the 13-part series Endangered for The Africa Channel.

She co-presented the 2012 run of One Man and His Dog in September of that year.

Springwatch and Autumnwatch

Strachan, with Chris Packham and Martin Hughes-Games, presented the BBC Television's Autumnwatch in late 2011. For the first four weeks it was presented from the National Arboretum at Westonbirt. For the final four weeks, it was presented from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust's Slimbridge reserve. Michaela Strachan thus replaced Kate Humble. She has also replaced Humble in 2012's and 2013's Springwatch after Humble decided to pursue other projects.

Music

Strachan has also had a brief music career as "Michaela" with two UK hit singles; a cover of Edwin Starr's "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" (UK #62, 1989) and "Take Good Care of My Heart" (UK #66, 1990).

In 2007, the British band, Scouting For Girls, included a song called "Michaela Strachan (You Broke My Heart)" on their eponymous debut album, as a hidden track.

Other

Strachan is a celebrity supporter of the charity World Vision as a child sponsor. She also supports their Alternative Gifts charity; life-changing gifts for communities in the developing world. She is the author of a book entitled Wild About Baby Animals.

Strachan is allergic to elephants.