SHE was the fresh-faced TV It girl of the 80s who rose to fame alongside Timmy Mallett as a presenter on the Wide Awake Club.
Almost 40 years on, 57-year-old treasure Michaela Strachan is both brutally and refreshingly honest about her appearance - and the message is simple, she really doesn't care.
While lots of women her age have tweakments to maintain their youthful looks, not Michaela. She's defiant about fully embracing the ageing process.
“People tell me all the time that I look exactly the same as I did in the eighties when I presented Wide Awake Club with Timmy Mallet,” she laughs.
“But I often catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think crikey, I look rough. Do I care? Not really.
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“We all get so upset about getting older but ageing is such a blessing. The alternative is dying, so let’s celebrate those lines and wrinkles instead.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not quite there with accepting my looks. I’ve got a bit of a sleepy eye these days and apparently botox is the way to fix it, but I don’t really want fake stuff in my skin.”
Being fake is certainly not Michaela's forte.
While she had to accept the use of safe synthetic material to rebuild her shape following a double mastectomy in 2014 when she won her war against breast cancer, the rest of her is completely au naturel.
“Yes, I have fake boobs because of my cancer, but you won’t catch me with a BBL,” Michaela explains.
“I’ve got scars on my breasts and they’re not attractive, but when I look at them I’m not upset. It’s the same for my wrinkles. They tell my story of survival and resilience, the fact that I’m still here and getting older - what a privilege.”
This month should be a time of celebration for Michaela as she counts down the days to her 58th birthday on April 7.
However, the past year has delivered blow after devastating blow for the mum, who has son Ollie, 18 - but it's one which has made her want to live life to the fullest:
“I’m normally incredibly organised but I haven’t given my birthday a single thought this year. We’ve been through a lot as a family this year, including the sudden loss of my partner Nick’s mother [Patricia, who passed at the age of 96],” she says.
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The presenter also lost a dear friend, Lucy, who battled the same cancer as Michaela but sadly lost her life.
“There hasn’t been much time, or the right moment, to think about parties, but I know I absolutely don’t want one,” she says.
“I don’t want balloons and cake, I want experiences like hiking up a mountain with my friends. Some might say I’ve become boring, but I think I’ve become more interesting.
“Instead of getting p***ed on a Friday night and talking rubbish, I go on long walks into nature and have meaningful conversations with people.”
And those long walks and conversations have come to fruition in Michaela’s latest TV show.
She’s one of a seven-strong group of celebs including Christine McGuinness and Spencer Matthews taking part in long-running BBC2 show Pilgrimage.
Over the course of three episodes, beginning on March 29, the famous wanderers take a personal journey along the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way, discussing life, death and beliefs along the way.
The show came at the perfect time for Michaela, who attended her friend’s funeral just one week before filming.
She explains: “Lucy’s death was very poignant and difficult for me because I was lucky. I’m still here and I’m fine, but she’s gone.
“People know me as a cheerful optimist on their screens. If I’d been doing any other TV show I’d have compartmentalised my grief and pulled myself together. I don’t like being vulnerable, but the whole point was to explore your emotions and have difficult conversations about life.
I often catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think crikey, I look rough. Do I care? Not really. The alternative is dying, so let’s celebrate those lines and wrinkles instead."
Michaela Strachan
“The show gave me the space I needed to process my loss, even with a camera crew in my face.
“To lose your composure in front of millions of people was not something I found easy but I really hope seeing Miss Cheerful show her emotions will help others. Shared grief is a very healing thing.”
The next tears Michaela sheds will be happy ones as she’s returning to her home in South Africa to an empty nest.
Her beloved 18-year-old son Ollie - whom she shares with partner Nick - has just left home for the chilly climes of the UK.
“Rattling around the house will be really hard, especially for Nick who’s spent years bringing up his kids [Nick is father to Ollie, and three further children from a previous relationship],” she says.
“Ollie is doing an internship at Oxford United Football Club, with their management team, and applied for UK universities too.
“I’ll miss him at home but I’m grateful that I’ll never be too far away. Besides, I’m so busy with Springwatch and an Ice Age show with Steve Backshall, there’s no time to sit on the sofa and cry.”
And dry those tears quickly Michaela. Your son may have flown the nest but the world - and your TV talent - is once again your oyster.
Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales, Fridays at 9pm on BBC Two and catch all episodes on BBC iPlayer
