Hi, I’m Andrea McLean one of the anchors of Loose Women.
Before I joined the show in 2007, I was best-known for presenting the weather on GMTV. On New Year's Eve 2008, I left the early-morning breakfast show after 11 years to concentrate on Loose Women and enjoy the benefits of a full night's sleep.
I did some amazing things during my time there - I co-hosted GMTV Today with Ben Shephard and Eamonn Holmes, and hosted LK Today in Lorraine Kelly’s absence. For one week I did live broadcasts every day from the village of Mamone in South Africa.The team I was with provided the village its only supply of free running water supplied the local school with computers and built two extra classrooms.It was wonderful to be part of a team which made such a difference to people’s lives. I have also presented live from Sydney in Australia and from the mountaintops of Switzerland, as well as presenting travel packages from The Caribbean, Greece, Spain and South Africa.
Last year I took part in Celebrity Total Wipeout, which was filmed in a surprisingly chilly Argentina. I was spectacular for all the wrong reasons as I couldn't stop laughing and came resoundingly last. I think I enjoyed it the most though, and my son was thrilled to see his mum fall into squelching mud over and over again.
Like Coleen I also took part in ITV1's reality ice-skating competition Dancing on Ice, in 2006. After I was eliminated, I went on to present the weekday show Dancing on Ice Extra for the rest of the show's run along with fellow ex-contestant Andi Peters.
I have co-hosted Loose Lips on Living TV with Brendan Courtneay, and The National ESP Challenge Live with David Bull. I have been a panellist on Espresso on five with Patti Caldwell, presented the broom cupboard links between shows on Challenge TV with Lisa Rogers and Chris Jarvis, presented various cookery shows on Carlton Food Network, and worked alongside Caroline Feraday on her Friday night phone-in show on LBC Radio. I have also presented Our House for UKTV Style.
I love the thrill of doing live TV, and during my career I have appeared in a Bollywood movie, rap jumped off Table Mountain in South Africa and looped-the-loop strapped to the top of a bi-plane.
I love the thrill of doing live TV, and during my career I have appeared in a Bollywood movie, rap jumped off Table Mountain in South Africa and looped-the-loop strapped to the top of a bi-plane.
I have also gained a RAC Formula 4 motor racing license, which has since expired through lack of a racing car ... I now drive a huge family car filled with children and a large labradoodle called Jackson. One day I will be speedy again!
I graduated with a BA Hons in Modern Studies (History, Politics and International Relations) at Coventry University in 1991. I then went on to backpack around the world, from India and the Far East to Australia and America, taking on jobs as diverse as a grill chef, barmaid, receptionist and factory worker - some jobs were more fun than others!
I started my career as a travel writer in 1993, later gaining my journalism qualification and becoming a staff writer and sub-editor at Central Press Features.
I still work as a journalist, and have written for The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Record, TV Times, BBC Parenting Magazine, Woman’s Weekly, Star Magazine, The Sunday Post, Bella, Best, Closer & Woman.
I was born in Scotland but was raised in Trinidad and Tobago, hence my sometimes Scottish/Caribbean accent. I moved back to the UK when I was 15 and now live in Surrey with husband Steve, and two children Finlay and Amy.