Born:
December 23, 1961
in
Glasgow
Best Known For:
Changing Rooms.
Early-life:
Carol Patricia Smillie was born in Glasgow on December 23, 1961, the youngest child of an engineering consultant and a housewife. Left school with five Scottish Highers, the equivalent of A-levels. Studied fashion design at Glasgow School of Art, but dropped out after a tutor suggested she'd be better as a model. Assignments weren't always glamorous, although says she enjoyed it. Her presenting debut came when she landed her own local radio show in Ayrshire, The Bimbo Bites Back, but claims it was terrible.
Career:
Through contacts gained from her radio experience, she became Nicky Campbell's sidekick on Wheel of Fortune in 1989. A move to the BBC gave her a higher profile. She started as Esther Rantzen's co-host on Hearts of Gold, before joining The Travel Show and Holiday in 1992. Says the latter two weren't as good as they seemed, and her husband grew tired of her being away from home. In 1994, Smillie became the National Lottery host and launched Changing Rooms in 1997. In 2004, she took part in Strictly Ice Dancing, and a Channel 5 documentary called Gender Swap, where she was transformed into a man using make-up and prosthetics in order to go speed-dating. She competed in series four of Strictly Come Dancing. In 2006, she made her stage debut in The Vagina Monologues.
Quote:
"It's good for people to know that those on TV are human and normal. There's a temptation to think TV stars lead a charmed life and don't do the things everyone else does but we can look rotten just like everyone else."
Trivia:
In recent years, Smillie has modelled for The Edinburgh Woollen Mill.