Susannah Constantine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susannah Constantine
Constantine on right, next to Trinny Woodall
Born	(1962-06-03) 3 June 1962 (age 63) Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation	Fashion stylist television presenter author
Years active	1994–present
Notable credit(s)	What Not to Wear Trinny & Susannah Undress... Trinny & Susannah Undress the Nation
Spouse(s)	Sten Bertelsen
Children	3

Susannah Caroline Constantine (born 3 June 1962) is an English fashion expert, TV presenter, and author. She is well-known for her work with fashion partner Trinny Woodall. Together, they wrote a popular book called What Not to Wear, which sold many copies and won an award.

Susannah comes from a wealthy family. She worked in fashion for famous designers like Giorgio Armani and John Galliano. In 1994, she met Trinny Woodall. They started writing a weekly fashion column and later launched a fashion advice website. They also wrote their first fashion book in 2000.

Their big break came when they hosted the TV show What Not to Wear on BBC Two from 2001 to 2005. They became very popular for helping people improve their style. After this success, they hosted other shows like Trinny & Susannah Undress... and Undress the Nation on ITV.

Susannah and Trinny have written several best-selling fashion advice books. Their books have sold millions of copies in the UK and USA. They also created their own clothing line for Littlewoods.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in England

Susannah Constantine was born in Hammersmith, London. She grew up in a small village called Knipton in Leicestershire. Her father, Joseph Constantine, came from a very old family and was an officer in the Coldstream Guards. He was also successful in business.

School Days

Susannah went to boarding schools, including Queen's Gate School in London and St Mary's School in Wantage, Oxfordshire. She started boarding school when she was 11 years old. She has shared that she felt sad on her first night away from home.

Early Career in Fashion

Starting Out

After school, Susannah first trained in the Montessori teaching method. She then studied sculpture in Brussels. She also worked as a shop assistant for Harrods and for famous designers like Giorgio Armani and John Galliano. This helped her learn a lot about fashion.

Meeting Trinny Woodall

In 1994, Susannah met Trinny Woodall at a party. They quickly became friends and started working together. They wrote a weekly style guide called Ready to Wear for The Daily Telegraph newspaper. In this column, they gave advice on affordable fashion and showed how different clothes suited different body types.

They also tried to start an online fashion advice business called Ready2shop.com, but it did not succeed. In 2000, they released their first fashion advice book, Ready 2 Dress, which also struggled.

First TV Appearances

Despite early challenges, Susannah and Trinny began their TV careers. They hosted a shopping show called Ready to Wear. They also had a regular makeover segment on the show Richard & Judy. These appearances helped them gain attention and led to their big break with the BBC.

Television Career

What Not to Wear (2001–2005)

In 2001, Susannah Constantine and Trinny Woodall began co-hosting What Not to Wear on BBC Two. On the show, they helped people change their style and improve their appearance. They became known for their direct advice and for helping people feel more confident. Susannah believes that "anyone can achieve style." She also says that dressing other women is easy for her, but dressing herself can be tricky.

The show was very popular, and Susannah and Trinny became household names, often referred to simply as Trinny and Susannah. In 2002, they won a Royal Television Society Award for being the best factual presenters. The show was also nominated for a BAFTA in 2002 and 2003.

For charity, in 2002, Susannah and Trinny performed their own version of Madonna's song "Vogue" for the Children in Need program. They also appeared in TV advertisements for Nescafé coffee in 2003.

Moving to BBC One and Beyond

Due to its success, What Not to Wear moved to BBC One in 2004. The show became longer, featuring two makeovers instead of one. It was also shown in other countries.

Susannah and Trinny appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show twice as style experts, helping American women with makeovers. Susannah noted that American women were often very open to changing their style.

New Shows on ITV (2006–Present)

In 2006, Susannah and Trinny moved to ITV to start a new show called Trinny & Susannah Undress.... This show focused on helping couples with problems in their relationships through style advice. They later hosted Trinny & Susannah Undress The Nation in 2007.

In 2015, Susannah took part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, a reality TV show. In 2018, she was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, a popular dance competition.

Beyond Television Work

Online and Tours

In 2010, Susannah and Trinny appeared in an online series. They also toured New Zealand and Australia, giving live styling sessions for thousands of people at shopping malls.

Clothing Line with Littlewoods

Susannah and Trinny partnered with the home shopping company Littlewoods Direct. They created a fashion advice section for the Littlewoods catalogue and designed their own women's clothing range. This range included trousers, coats, tops, and dresses, all designed to flatter different body shapes.

Best-Selling Books

Susannah has co-written several popular style advice books with Trinny Woodall. These books have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide and have been best-sellers in both the UK and the USA. They have also been translated into many languages.

Their most successful book, What Not to Wear, was published in 2002. It became an instant best-seller, selling 670,000 copies. The book won a British Book Award in 2003.

Their book The Body Shape Bible was published in 2007. It helps women understand their body shape and gives them fashion advice tailored to their individual shape. In 2017, Susannah published her first novel, After the Snow.

Podcast

In January 2020, Susannah launched her own podcast called My Wardrobe Malfunction. In this podcast, she talks to guests about their relationship with clothes. Guests share stories about their favorite items, special outfits, and fashion mistakes. The podcast has featured many well-known guests.

Personal Life

Susannah Constantine learned a lot about style from her father, who was a talented artist. His death was a very important moment for her.

In the 1980s, Susannah dated David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, who is the son of Princess Margaret. Their relationship lasted for eight years. She also dated Imran Khan, a famous cricketer, in 1992.

Susannah is married to Sten Bertelsen, a Danish businessman. They have three children named Joe, Esme, and CeCe. Susannah and her family live on a large property in Sussex.

Susannah has talked about the pressure to always look good in public. She believes that she and Trinny genuinely care about helping other women feel confident through their style.

In 2002, while visiting the Cannes Film Festival, Susannah and Trinny were victims of thieves. They were made unconscious, and money and jewelry were stolen from where they were staying.

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Susannah Constantine para niños

• List of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) contestants
• List of Strictly Come Dancing contestants