Portrait of Carol Smillie

Birthday profile

Carol Smillie

Carol Smillie, Scottish model and actress

Born
December 23, 1961
Age in 2026
65
Zodiac sign
Capricorn
Birth year
1961

About Carol Smillie

Carol Patricia Smillie (born 23 December 1961) is a Scottish former television presenter, actress and model from Glasgow. Smillie became famous as a television presenter during the 1990s and early 2000s. She was best known for assisting Nicky Campbell on the UK version of the game show Wheel of Fortune between 1989 and 1994. Between 1996 and 2003, she was the main presenter on the BBC One home makeover show Changing Rooms. After leaving the Glasgow School of Art, Smillie was a model throughout the 1980s. Her break in television came in 1989 when she auditioned for the role of hostess on Wheel of Fortune. After leaving the show in 1994, Smillie appeared on the BBC television channel, firstly as a reporter on The Travel Show, and then the Holiday show, eventually becoming the programme's main presenter. The DIY programme Changing Rooms established her name and led to her presenting other primetime shows for the BBC, such as the National Lottery and her own morning chat show Smillie's People. In 2012 Smillie decided to leave mainstream TV and created a new business venture, launching a brand of leak-proof underwear for women, named DiaryDoll. This was later changed to Pretty Clever Pants. In 2018 Smillie relinquished control of her business, licensing the brand to the company High Street TV. As of 2018 Smillie is pursuing a career conducting humanist ceremonies, having qualified as a humanist celebrant with the Humanist Society Scotland.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Career and life highlights

Carol Smillie timeline

  1. After leaving the show in 1994, Smillie appeared on the BBC television channel, firstly as a reporter on The Travel Show, and then the Holiday show, eventually becoming the programme's main presenter.
  2. In 2012 Smillie decided to leave mainstream TV and created a new business venture, launching a brand of leak-proof underwear for women, named DiaryDoll.

The world when Carol Smillie was born

Carol Smillie was born in 1961. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1961

  • #1 song"Tossin' and Turnin'" – Bobby Lewis
  • Top movieWest Side Story
  • Top TV showGunsmoke
  • Best-selling bookCatch-22 – Joseph Heller

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentRoger Maris hits 61 home runs, breaking Babe Ruth's record
  • Top headlineYuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space
  • Technology milestoneYuri Gagarin becomes first human in space
  • Defining fadSurfing culture
  • Notable inventionValium
  • World population3.08 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderJohn F. Kennedy
  • Sports championNew York Yankees (World Series)
  • Also wonBoston Celtics (NBA)
  • U.S. population183.7M

1961 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Carol Smillie's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19612026
Gas$0.31$3.45/gal
Average home$12,500$435,000
Average income$7,600$67,500
Minimum wage$1.15$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$0.69$11.95
Postage stamp$0.04$0.73
Population183.7M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, IMDb. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.