Carol Thatcher

Carol Thatcher
Born	(1953-08-15) August 15, 1953 Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation(s)	Journalist, writer, television personality
Years active	1977–present
Known for	Winning the fifth season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Carol Jane Thatcher (born 15 August 1953) is a British journalist, writer, and television figure. She is the daughter of Margaret Thatcher, who served as the United Kingdom's prime minister from 1979 until 1990, and businessman Denis Thatcher.

Thatcher has penned biographies about both her parents and created a documentary showcasing her father's sole public interview. She emerged as the winner of the fifth season of the reality television program I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Early life

Born prematurely by caesarean section on 15 August 1953 at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith, London, Thatcher entered the world alongside her twin brother, Mark. Her mother was elected as the Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959.

Her education began at Queenswood School, a boarding school for girls near Hatfield, Hertfordshire, followed by attendance at St Paul's Girls' School. She earned a law degree from University College London before relocating to Australia in 1977 to pursue journalism. During this period, her mother assumed the office of prime minister. Thatcher has reflected on the difficulties that came with being the child of a prime minister, highlighting the importance of endurance and wit.

Journalism career

Thatcher launched her journalism profession in Australia, contributing to The Sydney Morning Herald between 1977 and 1979. She subsequently worked as a television reporter for Sydney's Channel Seven and appeared on its morning news program, 11AM. After returning to the UK, she took roles as a presenter for LBC, BBC Radio 4, and TV-am, while also writing travel columns for The Daily Telegraph. However, many newspapers refused to print her articles due to her mother's political status.

Her debut publication, Diary of an Election: with Margaret Thatcher on the campaign trail, was released in 1983. In 1986, she co-authored Lloyd on Lloyd with tennis star Chris Evert Lloyd, which became her first bestseller.

Subsequent notable works include the 1996 acclaimed biography of her father titled Below the Parapet. In 2003, she produced the Channel 4 documentary Married to Maggie, which featured Denis Thatcher’s only public interview before his passing. Throughout her freelance career, she has contributed to various magazines and newspapers while maintaining involvement in television projects.

I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

In November 2005, Thatcher participated in ITV's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, enduring at least one week living under harsh conditions in the Australian rainforest. She took part in one of the show's infamous "Bushtucker Trials," which required consuming jungle insects and kangaroo testicles to secure food for herself and fellow contestants. Thatcher ultimately triumphed as the winner of the fifth series, earning the title of second 'Queen of the Jungle'.

Most Haunted

On 13 February 2007, Thatcher featured as a celebrity guest on Living TV's Most Haunted, joining presenter Yvette Fielding and medium David Wells to explore reports of paranormal phenomena at Tatton Hall in Cheshire.

Mummy's War

In 2007, Thatcher visited both the Falkland Islands and Argentina as part of the documentary Mummy's War, which delved into the enduring impact of the Falklands War.

The One Show

Between 2006 and 2009, Thatcher contributed as a freelance reporter and participated in studio discussions on BBC One’s magazine programme The One Show.

In February 2009, during coverage of the 2009 Australian Open, Thatcher used racially insensitive language directed at a black tennis player, believed to be Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, while in the show's green room. Present at the time were host Adrian Chiles, comedian Jo Brand, along with various journalists and guests. The BBC declared that Thatcher would not be invited back to The One Show unless she issued a genuine apology. Thatcher declined to apologize, insisting that her remark was not intended to be racist and described it as an informal expression about someone she respected.

Personal life

Thatcher was involved romantically with Jonathan Aitken until their split in 1979, shortly after the Conservative Party's general election success. It is reported that this breakup influenced Aitken’s chances of ministerial appointment, as Thatcher’s mother—then serving as Prime Minister—objected to his promotion on personal grounds.

Currently, Thatcher resides in Klosters, Switzerland, where she lives with ski instructor Marco Grass.

External links

• Biography of Carol Thatcher Unreality TV (Archived)