Carol Vorderman

British television personality Carol Vorderman began her career in entertainment when she became a backup singer for the pop group Dawn Chorus and the Blue Tits in the early 1980s, after graduating from Sidney Sussex College in the University of Cambridge with a degree in engineering. In 1982, Vorderman caught her big break when she joined the presenters on the game show "Countdown" after her mother responded on her behalf to a casting call for a woman with strong math skills. She became part of a small team of presenters, but in 2005, after the death of the show's host, Richard Whiteley, Vorderman began taking a more prominent role on the show as a co-host. After a long run Vorderman left "Countdown" in late 2008 due to disagreements regarding her contract. She has made numerous other television appearances, including co-hosting the BBC series "Take Nobody's Word for it" and presenting ITV's "Daybreak" and "Better Homes." Vorderman has also made radio appearances, including presenting on Radio Aire's show hosted by British television and radio presenter Peter Levy in the mid-1980s. She has written columns in several British newspapers such as ''The Daily Telegraph'', and several books, including publications on detox diets and school textbooks.