Linda Barker

Born October 6, 1961 in Leeds, she trained as a fine artist at the West Surrey College of Art and Design (I've visited that place and witnessed first-hand some of the lovely lady students making glass ornaments and things in the very hot glass blowing labs ... but I digress).

She started in media back in 1988 writing features about interior design in magazines.  In 1994 she made her debut on British TV on the BBC's Home Front programme.  The following year she teamed up with that flowery-cuffed Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen for a new programme called "Changing Rooms".  What a success, the programme moved from BBC2 to BBC1 with 10million viewers.

Linda started presenting House Invaders in 1999 and guests on vairous programmes such as GMTV and Through The Keyhole.  She also writes books on interiors, having sold over 1 million copies thus far around the world.  She's won awards for a range of wallpaper and bed linen and has also been named Designer of The Year.

In 2003 looking a little like Lara Croft (Tomb Raider heroine http://www.tombraider.com/) she entered the second UK series of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!!  She survived 14 days in the jungle and came in a respectable third place.  Lucrative contracts were signed soon after and Linda was gracing most ad breaks as the face of Currys or DFS Furniture (see earlier comment about not so good things!!).  As if that wasn't enough ... she launched her own website http://www.reallylindabarker.co.uk/ a mail order outfit selling furniture, accessories and soft furnishings.

Such a busy lass, she currently lives in Dulwich with hubby and daughter.