Judith Chalmers, Broadcasting Legend And Wish You Were Here? Host, Dies Aged 90

TV personality Judith Chalmers has died at the age of 90.

Judith is best known for fronting the ITV travel series Wish You Were Here…?, which she did for almost 30 years between 1974 and 2003, as well as the Strictly Come Dancing predecessor Come Dancing.

On Friday morning, her family issued a statement disclosing that the presenter had died the previous day, surrounded by her loved ones, having been privately living with Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years.

They told ITV News: “After living an extraordinary life that involved over 60 years in broadcasting and countless adventures all over the globe, Judy sadly passed away last night, surrounded by the family she loved so much after suffering with Alzheimer’s for some years.

“We will miss her greatly but she leaves behind a giant suitcase of the happiest of memories.”

Judith began broadcasting when she was still just 13 years old, after being chosen to present BBC North’s Children’s Hour segment.

As her presenting career continued, she went on to front Family Favourites and Woman’s Hour for the BBC in the 1960s, as well as appearing on Ken Dodd’s radio show, the comedy series The Clitheroe Kid, and Come Dancing, which she hosted for around four years.

In the following decade, she began presenting Wish You Were Here…? and the ITV daytime series Good Afternoon. Her later TV and radio appearances included coverage of Miss World and various other beauty pageants, Radio 2’s daily mid-morning show and, more recently, the Channel 5 travel show Celebrity Taste Of Italy.

Judith was awarded an OBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 for her services to broadcasting.

She is survived by her husband of more than 60 years, the former sports commentator Neil Durden-Smith, as well as their two children and six grandchildren.