The broadcaster was presented with Bafta Cymru’s Siân Phillips Award at the ceremony at the ICC Wales in Newport
Carol Vorderman is one of British television’s most familiar faces(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)
Broadcaster Carol Vorderman says she feels “fantastic” to be honoured with an award for outstanding contribution at this year’s Bafta Cymru. She was presented with the Siân Phillips Award at the ceremony at the ICC Wales in Newport on Sunday (Oct 4).
Vorderman has become one of British television’s most familiar faces since making her debut on Countdown in 1982. She has gone on to feature on programmes ranging from Loose Women to Have I Got News for You.
The broadcaster and maths whizz from Prestatyn is now a household name. Find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.
She chaired a UK government taskforce on maths education and was awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting in 2000.
Vorderman’s previous awards include two times winner of Rear of the Year “one for each cheek”, she jokes, and best game show assistant. She admitted she never thought she’d win a Bafta Cymru.
As she went into the ceremony tonight Vorderman told WalesOnline how she started her career in an era when the only women on television were “dolly birds” “newsreaders” or “Esther Rantzen”.
She said watching Rantzen, who died earlier this week, made her believe she could also make it in television.
Vorderman, 65, said she was delighted to see the television industry in Wales now “booming”.
“It’s wonderful because obviously, I am Welsh and when I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s there was no (Welsh) television. S4C started and that was the first Welsh language channel.
“When I come back now and work in Wales it’s thriving, it’s booming. I love that for young people.
“When I started people were either dolly birds or female newsreaders or Esther Rantzen. That’s it, those were the only women you saw on television.”
Vorderman said seeing Rantzen “striding through the studio” made her feel “I can do that” aged 21 and dreaming of a career in broadcasting.
Rising to fame as a 21-year-old maths whizz on Countdown, Vorderman is more than a television name. She is also a bestselling author, and political and social campaigner.
Growing up the star was the youngest of three children with a single parent and went to a comprehensive in Rhyl.
She got a place to read engineering at Cambridge. Her TV career began when her mother saw an advert for a woman with good knowledge of maths and made the application for her.
The job was for Countdown the popular game show that launched Channel 4 in 1982. Vorderman ran the show’s letters and numbers board and soon amassed a legion of fans.
After 26 years on the show she went on to front Loose Women, The Pride of Britain Awards, Stars and Their Lives, Tomorrow’s World, Mysteries With Carol Vordrerman and Better Home. She also joined Owain Wyn Evans to learn Welsh for S4C’s 2020 show, Iaith ar Daith.
Vorderman said: “I’m the luckiest woman in the world. From being a little girl in Prestatyn who knew Mum couldn’t afford any Christmas presents again this year, I could never have dreamed of the life that TV has given me.
“After 44 years on the small screen, receiving this award is truly the icing on the Welsh cake. Thank you, BAFTA, a thousand times.”
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