Jilly Goolden

The nation’s favourite wine buff, Jilly Goolden presented the BBC’s Food and Drink show for nearly two decades. Her sparkly personality and expertise won over the nation’s hearts. Able to entertain audiences with her vast knowledge of wines, and conduct group tasting sessions, Jilly’s expertise is the perfect addition to a wine-themed event.

In 2005, Jilly braved the jungle for ITV1's fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! During the show, a new generation took to her bubbly and intrepid personality: thanks to Jilly, a wide number of people now know exactly which wine to drink with a kangaroo’s testicle.

Jilly was resident on the judging panel of two popular ITV series – Soapstar Superchef and Britain’s Best Dish (7 series). Besides fitting in regular appearances on Saturday Cooks! and Daily Cooks!, 2008 also saw Jilly take on another challenge, appearing with her husband in Channel 4’s Celebrity Wife Swap.

She has presented two highly successful television series on antiques for BBC1, The Great Antiques Hunt and Going, Going, Gone, and she travelled extensively as a regular presenter on BBC1’s Holiday programme.

During 2004, Jilly was a presenter on BBC1's Holiday - You Call the Shots, and, the following year, she confronted a variety of health questions and challenges on the new Channel Four series, Extreme Health.

She has also appeared on innumerable television programmes across all channels featuring both as a wine expert and as a personality.

A familiar face on TV screens, Jilly has appeared on Watchdog/Weekend Watchdog, Celebrity Masterchef, It’s Not Easy Being Green, We Need Answers, The Chelsea Flower Show, Pointless Celebrities, The Home That Two Built, and Celebrities’ Antiques Road Trip.

Her radio appearances include Daily Politics, The Last Word, and Natural Histories. Moreover, she has starred in a mini-drama written for her and directed by Pauline Quirke, and has performed in The Vagina Monologues at the Royal Albert Hall.

Jilly Goolden started as a journalist, contributing at some time or another to most national daily and weekly newspapers and glossy magazines published in Britain. As well as writing about wine, she has written about travel, women's issues, sex, the occult and a wide range of general features.

She has written and contributed to books on wine and food as well as palmistry, which have featured strongly on the Sunday Times best-seller list. She has co-written five volumes of the Food & Drink, the special, Entertaining with Food & Drink, and The Big Food & Wine Drink Book, and she also co-authored a guide to palmistry.

Bubbly and personable, Jilly will provide the perfect entertainment and expertise for all kinds of wine themed events.