Linda Barker

Linda Thomas Barker (born 6 October 1961) is an interior designer and television presenter from Clayton, West Yorkshire.

Barker studied Fine Arts at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College. She then did odd jobs in various areas including fashion, before settling into a career as an interior designer. An accomplished painter, she did up her flat in Battersea and was the subject of a House Beautiful magazine spread on interiors.

This led to work in television as a set designer, where she met her husband. It was at this time she was one of the group of people (including Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen) approached by the BBC in 1994 to work on a television show called "Changing Rooms" as one of the designers.

After 6 years of Changing Rooms, she accepted an invitation in 2002 to appear in the second series of the reality TV show "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" which she finished in 3rd place on the final day. This helped Barker to reach a new audience. Following this, and being dropped from her BBC contract, Barker adopted a new image, being featured in lads magazine shoots and making a yoga DVD.

In 2004, Barker hosted the ITV reality game "Building the Dream".

Today Barker writes, publishes design books, writes her column for the weekend Daily Express Magazine and has appeared on "This Is Your Life"

She is married to TV executive Chris Short, and has a son and a daughter, as well as two dogs. She currently lives in Forest Hill in south London.

Linda Barker also appeared on a celebrity edition of "Come Dine With Me", aired on 17 September 2008 alongside fellow celebrities Peter Stringfellow, Michelle Heaton and Lee Ryan. Linda finished in joint first place with Lee Ryan, both of whom scored 26 points.

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