Michaela Strachan, best known for her roles on Countryfile, Springwatch, and her recent stint on Dancing on Ice, has charmed generations with her infectious energy and smile – but she’s always been open about her first marriage, subsequent divorce and finding love again.
But behind her career lies a personal life marked by triumphs and challenges.
Michaela Strachan’s first marriage ended in divorce
Michaela Strachan’s first marriage was to filmmaker Duncan Chard in 1996.
Their union seemed picture-perfect initially, but cracks began to show when they reached an impasse about having children.
While Michaela’s desire to embrace motherhood grew, Duncan felt differently, leading to a “fundamental difference” that ended their marriage in 2001.
Reflecting on this decision, Michaela told The Telegraph: “I’d never been someone desperate to have children, and then I changed my mind. It was quite a fundamental difference between us, and it ended the marriage.”
Meeting Nick Chevallier
Two years later – in 2003 – while filming in Cape Town, Michaela Strachan met Nick Chevallier, a South African director and cameraman.
Their connection was instant, deepened during a hike up Table Mountain followed by wine under the stars.
Recalling their first date, Michaela shared in an interview with You Magazine: “After a long walk up the mountain, a bottle of wine at the top, and a cable car down, I knew he was the one.”
Nick, a widower with three children – Jade, now 37, and twins Sam and Tom, 35 – had been through his own challenges.
Their blended family grew stronger as Michaela embraced her role as stepmother.
On her official website, she wrote: “I also have three fantastic stepchildren: Jade, born in 1988, and Tom and Sam, twins born in 1990.
The glue of our family is Rio, an interesting mix of terrier/Jack Russell. A rescue with plenty of personality!”
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Building a family
When Michaela and Nick decided to start their own family, she worried Nick might feel hesitant about having a fourth child.
However, those fears were quickly dispelled. In 2006, they welcomed their son, Ollie.
Michaela has often spoken about how transformative motherhood was for her, especially after being so career-focused in her younger years.
“When I was younger, I was so into my career that I didn’t think I’d have a child,” Michaela told the MailOnline.
“I’m so glad that changed. There’s no love that can compare to what I feel for Ollie, and I adore being a mum.”
However, she admits the journey wasn’t without its challenges.
She added: “I was 39, I had this child, and I realised I knew nothing about babies. I was so naive about how hard it was.”
Life in Cape Town
Today, Michaela and her family live in the scenic coastal town of Hout Bay, Cape Town.
Despite her frequent travels for work, Michaela cherishes her time at home. “It takes a lot of scheduling and juggling, but we make it work,” she told The Mirror.
Michaela’s blended family has thrived over the years, with Ollie now 18 and attending university.
Meanwhile, Michaela and Nick’s relationship has stood the test of time, thanks in part to their unconventional setup.
“I think the secret is not to get married,” she joked to The Mirror in 2018. “I shouldn’t say that. That could be taken well out of context. But maybe the secret is we’re apart a lot.”
Despite her lighthearted quip, Michaela acknowledges that maintaining a happy family takes effort.
With Ollie now at university, Michaela has embraced new challenges, including competing on Dancing on Ice.
“This is the perfect year for this,” she gushed to the MailOnline. “[It’s] the first time I could have done it, as my child has started university.”
Despite her dance training, Michaela insists skating was never on her radar. “But then the call came for this and I said, ‘Why not?’” she quipped.
Her training began in Cape Town, South Africa. Initially, Michaela doubted her decision.
“At first, I thought, ‘I must be mad.’ But then something clicked. It’s reignited the passion for performance I’ve had since I was a little girl – which, since I’ve gone into wildlife TV, I’ve not been able to use.”
Michaela Strachan’s health battles
Michaela’s trajectory has been anything but smooth. Behind her bubbly exterior lies a history of struggles.
At 21, her parents divorced, and the turbulence at home coincided with her spiral into anorexia.
While studying at the Arts Educational School in London, Michaela became fixated on food and body image.
“It was textbook: my family life was falling apart, I was trying to control things in some way,” she told The Times. “I got an endorphin rush from doing that, and that kept me going.”
At her worst, she was surviving on a grapefruit, an apple, and a slice of bread a day.
The TV star described her behaviour as “madness”.
Her hair grew brittle, her breath turned foul, and her periods stopped.
The turning point came when her brother confronted her and told her if she continued, she would die.
Recovery was slow but steady. Even years later, she found it hard to eat a full meal at a restaurant.
Later in life, after settling in South Africa with her family, Michaela faced another hurdle: a breast cancer diagnosis in 2014, followed by a double mastectomy.
Whether she’s spinning on ice or trekking through the wilderness, Michaela Strachan is proof that life is about resilience.
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