Carol Vorderman
Carol Vorderman was born on 24 December 1960 in Bedford.
Carol Vorderman was brought up in North East Wales and attended the Blessed Edward Jones Catholic School in Rhyl. The equations expert in Countdown was inspired by her maths teacher, Mr Parry. Vorderman went on to study engineering at Cambridge.
After leaving college, Carol Vorderman worked in Leeds for an electical retailer, before auditioning for Countdown.
Carol Vorderman and the show's host the late Richard Whiteley were features of Countdown, which became a phenomenon as the longest-running show on Channel 4.
Carol Vorderman was awarded the MBE for Services to Broadcasting. She has an IQ of 154, and was once voted runner-up in a poll of 'Thinking Man's Crumpet'. Carol has written books about detox diets, including 'Detox For Life'.
Vorderman recommends a strict 28-day detox diet twice a year with a less demanding maintenance diet for the rest of the time.
In November 2004 Carol Vorderman took part in Strictly Come Dancing, but it did not go well. She suffered a torn cartilage during the performance that led to her and her dancing partner Paul Killick being voted off the show.
Vorderman is a patron of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association.
Carol Vorderman has also hosted 'Better Homes' and 'Better Gardens', 'Stars and Their Lives' and during the marathon vote for Britain's Best Sitcom was the advocate for 'Vicar of Dibley'.
Carol came second to Stephen Fry in a Radio Times poll of their readers on whom they thought were the smartest people on TV.
In January 2007, Carol Vorderman split up with sports journalist Des Kelly.
Carol Vorderman is one of the celebrities to feature on series 4 of the BBC's genealogy series, Who Do You Think You Are? in autumn 2007.