Linda Barker
Encyclopedia
Linda Barker is an English
interior design
er and television presenter.
in Farnham
. She then did odd jobs in various areas including fashion
, before settling into a career as an interior designer. An accomplished painter, she did up her flat in Battersea
and was the subject of a House Beautiful magazine spread on interiors.
) approached by the BBC
in 1994 to work on a television
show called Changing Rooms
as one of the designers. During this time Barker also started co-presenting House Invaders in 1999, and co-presented a three-part special called Planet Christmas in 2001. After six years of Changing Rooms, restricted by the BBC's position on commercial endorsement and disappointed to be overlooked as a replacement presenter to Carol Smillie
, she agreed to leave Changing Rooms.
Barker launched her more commercially focused career by appearing in the 2002 (second) series of the ITV1
show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, on which she finished in third place on the final day, and became Queen of the Jungle.
Barker adopted a new personal image, being featured in lads' magazine shoots and making a yoga
DVD. Commercially, she designed and advertised sofa
s for dfs
and cabins for Thomson Holidays
. She also brought out her own wallpaper range with Crown. She began presenting series for ITV, including With A Little Help From My Friends
, Building the Dream and a daytime lifestyle series, Under Construction
.
In 2007 Barker took part in the children's CBBC
show Hider in the House
, as the hidden celebrity.
Barker also appeared on a celebrity edition of Come Dine With Me
, aired on 17 September 2008, alongside Peter Stringfellow
, Michelle Heaton
and Lee Ryan
. Linda finished in joint first place with Ryan, both of whom scored 26 points.
Today Barker writes, publishes design books and writes a column for the weekend Daily Express
magazine.
In 2009, Barker joined the design team on the ITV daytime series 60 Minute Makeover
.
in South London
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
er and television presenter.
Education
Barker studied Fine Arts at the Surrey Institute of Art & DesignSurrey Institute of Art & Design, University College
The Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College was an art college in the United Kingdom. It merged with the Kent Institute of Art & Design on 1 August 2005 to form the University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester, now the University for...
in Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
. She then did odd jobs in various areas including fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
, before settling into a career as an interior designer. An accomplished painter, she did up her flat in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
and was the subject of a House Beautiful magazine spread on interiors.
Career
This led to work in television as a set designer, where she met her husband. It was at this time she was one of the group of people (including Laurence Llewelyn-BowenLaurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is a successful homestyle consultant best known for his appearances on the BBC television programme Changing Rooms...
) approached by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1994 to work on a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show called Changing Rooms
Changing Rooms (TV series)
Changing Rooms is a Do It Yourself home improvement show broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC between the years 1996 and 2004. The show was one of a number of home improvement and lifestyle shows popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s...
as one of the designers. During this time Barker also started co-presenting House Invaders in 1999, and co-presented a three-part special called Planet Christmas in 2001. After six years of Changing Rooms, restricted by the BBC's position on commercial endorsement and disappointed to be overlooked as a replacement presenter to Carol Smillie
Carol Smillie
Carol Patricia Smillie is a Scottish television personality, model and actress. Smillie is well-known for presenting the award winning BBC series Changing Rooms, which won her a National Television Award for Most Popular Factual Programme in 1998.She became the hostess of the British version of...
, she agreed to leave Changing Rooms.
Barker launched her more commercially focused career by appearing in the 2002 (second) series of the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, on which she finished in third place on the final day, and became Queen of the Jungle.
Barker adopted a new personal image, being featured in lads' magazine shoots and making a yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
DVD. Commercially, she designed and advertised sofa
Couch
A couch, also called a sofa, is an item of furniture designed to seat more than one person, and providing support for the back and arms. Typically, it will have an armrest on either side. In homes couches are normally found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge...
s for dfs
Dfs (retailer)
DFS, formerly Doncaster Furnishing Stores, is a national furniture retailer in the United Kingdom which specialises in sofas and soft furnishings. It serves the lower end of the furniture market and offers credit terms on its goods.- History :...
and cabins for Thomson Holidays
Thomson Holidays
Thomson Holidays is a UK based travel operator and part of TUI Travel PLC. The company was founded as part of the Thomson Travel Group in 1965 following the acquisition of three package holiday travel agencies and the airline Britannia Airways by Roy Thomson...
. She also brought out her own wallpaper range with Crown. She began presenting series for ITV, including With A Little Help From My Friends
With a Little Help from My Friends
-Joe Cocker version:Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction...
, Building the Dream and a daytime lifestyle series, Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction is the fourth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 12, 2002 in the United States...
.
In 2007 Barker took part in the children's CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
show Hider in the House
Hider in the House
Hider in the House was a British children's game show presented by Jason King and Joel Ross . In the programme, a celebrity had to be hidden in a family's house by three children and a parent. If the family have fewer than three children, they use friends or related children to make up the numbers...
, as the hidden celebrity.
Barker also appeared on a celebrity edition of Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
, aired on 17 September 2008, alongside Peter Stringfellow
Peter Stringfellow
Peter James Stringfellow is an English nightclub owner.-Early life:Stringfellow was born on 17 October 1940 to Elsie and James William Stringfellow , a steelworker...
, Michelle Heaton
Michelle Heaton
Michelle Christine Heaton is a British pop singer, television personality, and recently a glamour model as well. She was married to former boyband member Andy Scott-Lee.-Career:...
and Lee Ryan
Lee Ryan
Lee Ryan is an English singer-songwriter, actor and member of the British boy band Blue.-Early life:...
. Linda finished in joint first place with Ryan, both of whom scored 26 points.
Today Barker writes, publishes design books and writes a column for the weekend Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
magazine.
In 2009, Barker joined the design team on the ITV daytime series 60 Minute Makeover
60 Minute Makeover
60 Minute Makeover is a British popular daytime home interior design television programme broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom.-Overview:...
.
Personal
She is married to TV executive Chris Short, and the couple have a daughter, 18, and two dogs. The family currently live in Forest HillForest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
.