Judith Chalmers

Judith Rosemary Locke Chalmers (born 10 October 1935)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an English retired television presenter who is best known for presenting the travel programme Wish You Were Here...? from 1974 to 2003.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

Chalmers was born in Gatley, Cheshire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her father was an architect and her mother a medical secretary.<ref name="TheTimes">Sandra Chalmers Obituary in The Times p 56, 27 February 2015</ref> She had a sister, Sandra Chalmers. Both siblings were educated at Withington Girls' School, an independent day school in Fallowfield near Withington, Manchester.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Chalmers began broadcasting for the BBC when she was only 13, after being selected for BBC Northern Children's Hour by producer Trevor Hill.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her younger sister Sandra, who was later editor of Woman's Hour, also performed on Children's Hour.<ref>Sue McGregor "Sandra Chalmers obituary", The Guardian, 9 February 2015</ref> Chalmers presented many programmes from Manchester, including Children's Television Club which later metamorphosed into Blue Peter based in London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She spent some time at secretarial college in Manchester in the early 1950s.<ref name="Debretts">Miss Judith Chalmers, OBE Template:Webarchive, Debretts.com. Retrieved 19 November 2013.</ref>

In the 1960s, Chalmers presented two major BBC radio programmes: Family Favourites and Woman's Hour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto1"/> She also appeared as the original Susan in The Clitheroe Kid, and was a foil for Ken Dodd in his radio show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chalmers presented ballroom dancing competition programme Come Dancing for the BBC from 1961 to 1965.<ref name="auto1"/>

During the 1970s, Chalmers regularly presented ITV's daytime magazine programme Good Afternoon and its successors, which included Afternoon Plus and A Plus.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> 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.<ref name="auto1"/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2001, Chalmers appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank.<ref name="blanketyblank">Template:Cite episode</ref> She took part in an episode of the BBC Two series Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, with her son Mark, in 2013.<ref>"TV presenter Judith Chalmers battles under the hammer at Stroud Auction Rooms", Stroud News & Journal, 15 July 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, Chalmers took part in Channel 5's Celebrity Taste of Italy.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2022, at the age of 86, Chalmers was appointed Heathrow Express's new chief smile officer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Chalmers has been married to sports commentator Neil Durden-Smith since 1964.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The couple live in north London and have two children, including television presenter Mark Durden-Smith.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chalmers has six grandchildren.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Chalmers was appointed an OBE in 1994.<ref name="auto1"/>