ITV skating show Dancing on Ice is already generating a buzz with its line-up, months before it launches, and among the contestants taking part is none other than wildlife presenter and TV personality Michaela Strachan.
The 58-year-old presenter is best known for her role on Springwatch.
So, who exactly is Michaela Strachan, and how did she come to be a part of the Dancing On Ice 2025 line-up?
Michaela Strachan – who she is and what she’s famous for
Born on April 7, 1966, Michaela Strachan, who is 58, has had a long and successful career in television.
Michaela first came into the public eye in the 1980s, when she became a presenter on shows including TVam’s Wide Awake Club. In 1988, she starred on The Hitman and Her, a music show she fronted alongside Pete Waterman until 1992.
From her early days on morning television, Michaela moved into the realm of wildlife programming. Her most notable work in this area began when she joined BBC One’s The Really Wild Show in 1993. She quickly gained recognition for her approachable style and passion for wildlife conservation. It was here that Michaela became a household name, especially among younger viewers.
“I always had a love for animals and wildlife, especially animal welfare, although I didn’t know much at the time,” she told Discover Wildlife. “I was then poached for The Really Wild Show, and the rest is history!”
The Watches
After many years of work, in 2011, she became a presenter on Springwatch, a BBC show that documents British wildlife throughout the seasons. Springwatch, along with its sister shows Autumnwatch and Winterwatch, helped Michaela solidify her reputation as one of the most recognizable faces in UK wildlife television.
She is also known for her work on Countryfile – where she regularly made appearances between 1999 and 2009.
Despite relocating to Cape Town, South Africa, in 2009, Michaela still appears regularly on British television.
Michaela Strachan’s breast cancer diagnosis
Despite her success on television, Michaela Strachan’s journey has not always been easy. In 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The diagnosis came after a routine mammogram.
The diagnosis came as a shock to the presenter, as she described in a candid interview with the Mail on Sunday: “The tears started to roll as my doctor tried to tell me what would happen next, but I only took in every fifth word or so. The one word that registered was cancer.
“I couldn’t get my head around the fact that on Monday morning I’d been apparently healthy, by Tuesday I had cancer, and by Wednesday I was talking about a double mastectomy.”
Michaela underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. It was a difficult ordeal, but one that she believes made her stronger.
“My breasts have never been a big part of my personality – they have always been rather average 34Bs. I didn’t think I felt too emotional about losing them. But knowing I would in the next few days, I found myself wearing tight tops and celebrating them. As Joni Mitchell sang: ‘Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.’”
‘It strengthened me’
She told Woman & Home in 2022: “Going through breast cancer strengthened me. It has given me more resilience and made me appreciate my life more because I realise that something could have ended it early, and that’s a shock.”
She also admitted that sometimes she forgets about her diagnosis. “I had a double mastectomy and have slightly funny-looking boobs, but other than that, that’s it. I was incredibly lucky.”
Remarkably, Michaela chooses not to live in fear of her cancer returning. “I don’t worry about that because what’s the point? What I understand is that the chances of mine coming back are as likely as someone that’s never had it.”
Despite the health scare, Michaela has continued to thrive, both in her personal and professional life.
What happened to Michaela Strachan’s eye?
In addition to breast cancer, Michaela has dealt with other health issues throughout her life, including a condition called keratoconus, which affects the cornea and can lead to vision loss.
Michaela has worn hard contact lenses for many years due to this condition, but in 2021, she excitedly shared on Instagram that she had been prescribed soft lenses for her right eye.
“It’s like swapping stilettos for slippers! It’s an eye game changer! I am in such a good mood,” she gushed on Instagram.
Michaela has also spoken about her experiences with stress-related eczema and an allergy to elephants – an ironic twist, given her career in wildlife.
“The main one was eczema, which I started to get on my arms, my ear lobes and, most agonisingly, on the insides of my eyelids,” she told the Daily Record.
“Some mornings I would have to bathe my eyes open and the irritation was so intense that I couldn’t help rubbing my eyes with my fists to relieve the pain. All the rubbing gradually warped my pupils and I developed another condition called keratoconus that means I now have to wear very hard contact lenses to protect my eyes.”
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Michaela Strachan’s love life
Michaela has been in a long-term relationship with filmmaker Nick Chevallier since 2003. The couple met while Michaela was filming in Cape Town, and they have been together ever since. They have one son, Oliver, born in 2005.
Michaela and Nick share a love of the outdoors and wildlife.
Previously, Michaela was married to filmmaker Duncan Chard, but the couple divorced after five years of marriage due to their differing views about having children.
Reflecting on the end of her first marriage, Michaela told The Telegraph in 2016: “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.”
Today, Michaela and Nick are enjoying life in Cape Town. The two are not married, which Michaela joked may be the secret to their success.
“I think the secret is not to get married! We’re both very outdoorsy, and we don’t get on each other’s nerves because we’re apart a lot. It works for us,” she quipped in a 2018 interview with The Mirror.
Michaela has also expressed how motherhood changed her life. Despite not originally planning to have children, she says the love she feels for her son Oliver is unlike anything else.
“There’s no love that can compare to what I feel for Oliver, and I adore being a mum,” she gushed in a 2016 interview with MailOnline.
How old is Michaela Strachan?
The presenter is 58 years old. She was born on April 7, 1966.
Coping with grief and personal loss
Early in 2024, Michaela revealed the death of her mother-in-law, Patricia. Posting on Instagram, Michaela explained that it was a shock an sudden loss. She shared: “On Sunday we sadly said goodbye to this amazing lady. Patricia Chevallier. My partner Nick’s 96-year-old mother. Witty, wise, warm, caring, bossy, unique. She was our matriarch. Until 10 days ago she was well, unbelievably together and fairly mobile.”
Michaela explained that Patricia unfortunately got pneumonia and died peacefully and “surrounded by love” in hospital. She finished: “She had a family who absolutely adored her. She lived an amazing life. Surely at that age that’s all any of us can hope for. Such a special lady. We will all miss her.”
As well as that, 2023 was a difficult year for Michaela, as it too was marked by personal tragedy and grief.
She opened up about the challenges she faced, revealing earlier this year: “Last year was heartbreakingly sad. I lost several people in a short space of time. I lost my sister-in-law to cancer, my partner Nick’s best friend had a heart attack, one of my friends lost her son at 35, and then one of my closest friends died,” she said.
Reflecting on the tough year, she said: “I know I’m getting on but I’m 57 – I shouldn’t know this number of people who have died.”
Michaela admitted that she struggled to process the grief while filming the BBC Two show Pilgrimage. “I would have compartmentalised it. I can be quite controlling in my own emotions sometimes,” she confessed.
Michaela Strachan on Dancing On Ice
Michaela has long been a fan-favourite on TV, but her participation in Dancing On Ice marks a new chapter in her career.
Interestingly, Michaela revealed on Lorraine that she had been considered for the show twice before.
“I was considered for the show 14 years ago,” she said. “This year, they’ve asked me again, and I thought, why not?”
When asked about her skating abilities, Michaela was humble. “I think I probably can skate about as well as Lorraine can,” she joked.
“I’ve got a bit of balance, I guess. But it’s going to be a big challenge. I have no idea whether I’m going to be good, average, or totally rubbish!”
Although she lives in Cape Town with her partner and son, Michaela told Lorraine that she is excited about spending more time in the UK – as this will allow her to be closer to her son, Oliver – who is currently studying at Loughborough University.
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