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TV presenter Judith Chalmers dies at 90

other · 2026-05-22

Judith Chalmers, a beloved figure in British television, has died at the age of 90. Her family shared that she passed away peacefully with loved ones by her side after battling Alzheimer's disease. Chalmers began her broadcasting career at just 13 on BBC Radio's "Children's Hour" and moved to television in the 1950s with "Children's Television Club," which was a precursor to "Blue Peter." She worked as an announcer for BBC TV before joining ITV, where she hosted programs like "Good Afternoon" and "Afternoon Plus," featuring early guest appearances by Dame Mary Berry. In 1974, she launched "Wish You Were Here...?," which ran until 2003. She also hosted Miss World and a BBC Radio 2 morning show in the early '90s. In 1994, she received an OBE, and her son Mark revived her show in 2008. ITV celebrated her as a "national treasure."

Key facts

  • Judith Chalmers died at age 90
  • She hosted ITV's Wish You Were Here...? from 1974 to 2003
  • She began her career at age 13 on BBC Radio's Children's Hour
  • She presented programmes including Come Dancing, Good Afternoon, and Afternoon Plus
  • She was made an OBE in 1994
  • She was married to sports presenter Neil Durden-Smith
  • Her son Mark Durden-Smith hosted a revival of Wish You Were Here...? in 2008
  • She suffered from Alzheimer's for several years before her death

Entities

Artists

  • Judith Chalmers
  • Dame Mary Berry
  • Neil Durden-Smith
  • Mark Durden-Smith

Institutions

  • ITV
  • BBC
  • BBC Radio 2
  • Radio 2
  • Wish You Were Here...?
  • Come Dancing
  • Good Afternoon
  • Afternoon Plus
  • Children's Hour
  • Children's Television Club
  • Blue Peter
  • Miss World
  • Home and Freezer Digest

Locations

  • Gatley
  • Manchester
  • London
  • United Kingdom

Sources