Liz Barker facts for kids

Elizabeth Jane Barker, born on May 16, 1975, is a well-known English television presenter. She is most famous for being a presenter on the popular children's TV show Blue Peter from 2000 to 2006.

Liz Barker's Early Life and School

Liz Barker was born in Cambridge, England. She grew up in a village called Oakington, which is close to Cambridge. She went to Impington Village College for her schooling. After that, she studied philosophy at the University of Southampton.

After finishing university, Liz started her career in television. She worked as a "runner" for a TV company, which means she helped with many different tasks behind the scenes. She then became a researcher and later a sports presenter for a BBC show called Backstage.

Liz Barker's Career on Television

On June 23, 2000, Liz Barker joined the famous children's TV show Blue Peter. She spent six exciting years on the program. During her time, she traveled to many different countries, including Vietnam, Morocco, Brazil, Austria, Greece, India, and the U.S..

Her adventures on Blue Peter were very exciting! She did an upside-down spin in a jet plane and even raced lawn mowers. Liz also tried paragliding and walked a circus high-wire. She even cleaned windows on the tall Canary Wharf tower in London.

Liz won a bronze medal in a two-person bobsleigh race at the British Bobsleigh championships. She also trained to be a Childline counselor to help with a charity appeal. At one point, she held a Guinness World Record for how fast she could put on a duvet cover!

Meeting Famous People and Special Moments

Liz interviewed many famous people during her time on Blue Peter. These included football star David Beckham, famous illustrator Quentin Blake, and music legend Elton John. She even gave Elton John a special Gold Blue Peter badge in Las Vegas.

She also raced against former Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton in go-karts. Liz met the Queen at BBC Television Centre. Her colleague, Simon Thomas, presented the Queen with a Gold Blue Peter badge there.

Liz also acted in some Blue Peter films. She played historical figures like Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, and children's author Beatrix Potter. She was the main star in the show's BBC Christmas specials, including 'Rock & Roll Christmas' (2001) and 'Christmas At The Club Blue Peter' (2002). She also acted in a mini-series called 'The Quest'. Liz presented the Children's Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and the Blue Peter summer roadshows. She also helped present the Queen's Jubilee Concert.

In 2003, Liz won an award for a film she made about Auschwitz. This film was for Holocaust Memorial Day and featured a survivor named Kitty Hart-Moxon.

Family Life and Leaving Blue Peter

On May 25, 2004, Liz Barker announced that she was expecting her first child with her husband, Michael Todd. Their son, Dexter Jack Barker Todd, was born on December 4, 2004. Dexter appeared on Blue Peter many times, even when he was just 13 days old!

Liz was the first presenter to return to Blue Peter after having a baby. However, on January 23, 2006, she told viewers she would be leaving the show at Easter. She wanted to move away from London to spend more time with her family. Zöe Salmon took her place on the show.

During her six years on Blue Peter, Liz presented alongside other well-known presenters. These included Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Matt Baker, Zöe Salmon, and Gethin Jones.

On April 11, 2006, Liz left Blue Peter with a special show dedicated to her. It was like a This Is Your Life episode, featuring former presenters, family, and friends. She also announced that she would be co-presenting a new CBBC show called Totally Doctor Who with Barney Harwood. The first episode aired on April 13, 2006.

On September 18, 2006, Blue Peter announced that Liz was expecting another baby. On February 20, 2007, it was announced that she had given birth to a girl named Poppy. She later had two more sons, Rocco Winston Todd in 2011 and Gus Lennon Todd in 2013.

After Blue Peter

After leaving TV, Liz worked as a cake decorator for her family's bakery business for several years. She also co-presented a weekly radio show for six years on Cambridge 105 with Tim Willett.

Liz was the voice of Buzz in the Sony PlayStation game Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party. She also did voiceovers for the NMG Awards from 2016 to 2018 and again in 2023. She presented the Virgin Fiver Awards in London.

In July 2019, Liz appeared in a play called Sink or Swim in Cambridge. As of 2025, she continues to act in various stage and radio plays. In 2024, she played the main female role in the feature film Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late. This movie was shown at the Dublin Comedy Festival and the Northampton Film Festival.

Liz also started her own business called YellowSeven Vintage Interiors. She also helped create a School Sport Psychology package for primary schools. This package included videos to help children succeed in PE lessons.

In 2022, Liz took part in a 47-mile kayak challenge. She paddled from Cambridge to the Wash at King's Lynn. She raised £15,000 for two charities: Cambridge Women's Aid and Camfed.

In 2024, she published her first collection of poems called 'Sweet Fanny Adams'. She is also getting ready to launch a new podcast series called 'This House'. This podcast will feature interviews with people who own interesting homes.

Liz Barker's Filmography