Carol Vorderman could enter politics in Wales

Hayley Jones

Welsh broadcaster and campaigner Carol Vorderman has said would consider entering politics.

Speaking during an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain this week, the Prestatyn-born presenter was asked whether she would ever consider standing  as a politician. She said: “I’m asked so many times. I always said no, I wouldn’t say no now. I’d be an independent.”

Her comments come ahead of the next Senedd election on 7 May, which will use a voting system with a proportional voting designed to make representation more reflective of the votes cast.

Ms Vorderman is a long-time supporter of proportional voting, in 2023 she campaigned for the system alongside actor Steve Coogan . She describes the Senedd method of voting  as a step toward fairer representation  and a way to ensure that votes count more equally. She has criticised the first-past-the-post system for failing to reflect the will of voters and focusing only on marginal constituencies.

She added that this style of voting reduces tactical voting and gives citizens confidence that their voices are represented.

No fan of Reform or Farage

During her appearance on Good Morning Britain, Vorderman  criticised Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

She said: “Farage is a total charlatan. He is privately educated, he mixes with the billionaires.”

The former Countdown presenter also defended Green Party  MP Hannah Spencer, who won the Denton & Gorton by-election last month in a closely contested battle with Reform UK.

Ms Spencer had argued during her campaign that “working hard used to get you a nice life but now working class people work to line the pockets of billionaires”.

In her victory speech, she added she said that her campaign had “defeated the parties of billionaire donors”. Ms Vorderman referenced this during her ITV interview and said: “Hannah Spencer was very honest when she talked about how money has been taken from the working class and given to the rich.”

On comparing Farage to Trump, she said: “Trump says ‘fake news’ on a Monday, Farage says it on a Tuesday.”

Political engagement 

Vorderman has also been involved in several UK-wide political campaigns. She took part in Channel 4’s coverage of the 2024 general election and published the book Now What?, which sets out her “mission to fix broken Britain.” She previously spearheaded a tactical voting campaign aimed at what she described as “destroying” the Conservatives, emphasising her position was always “anti-Tory” rather than “pro-Labour.”

The former BBC Wales broadcaster  said: “I have never said ‘vote Labour’, other than tactically.”

Ms Vorderman has also engaged with Welsh political debate through publishing. She wrote the foreword to Welsh journalist Will Hayward’s new book Who Cares About Wales?, encouraging citizens to understand how the country is governed and hold representatives to account.

The girl from Prestatyn

Ms Vorderman maintains strong links with Wales and spends time at her home in Pembrokeshire. She also has a residence in Bristol but frequently emphasises her Welsh roots.

Born in north Wales, she was raised by a single mother and attended a comprehensive school where she received free school meals. She earned a place at Cambridge University, studied engineering, and later became known as the “brainbox” on Channel 4’s Countdown.

She is a mother of two and has actively supported education in Wales through the Carol Vorderman Bursaries at Swansea University, giving £20,000 each year to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Almost 30 undergraduates are currently benefiting from the scheme.