Changing Rooms star's life from bitter divorce to managing a zoo after show ended
Designer Anna Ryder Richardson is best known for co-hosting the BBC reality show Changing Rooms alongside Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, but since the show came to an end she's been very busy
Since her stint as the host of a popular 90s show that revolutionised British living rooms, Anna Ryder Richardson has embarked on an extraordinary journey since Changing Rooms ended in 2004.
The interior design legend, Ryder Richardson, brightened up our screens alongside Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in the BBC reality series that spanned 10 seasons.
Her love for design was sparked while working at a children's interior shop, leading her to establish her own interior design company. She got her first major TV break with her own design segment on GMTV in 1996.
During this period, she formed a friendship with celebrity chef Ainsley Harriot, who introduced her to some producers before she became one of the key designers on Changing Rooms.
After the show wrapped up in 2004, Anna participated in I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2007 and was the sixth contestant to exit the jungle, reports the Mirror.
But the jungle wasn't the only place where Anna encountered wildlife. In a surprising turn of events, she became the founder of Manor Wildlife Park, a zoo located in rural Pembrokeshire.
Alongside her ex-husband, the designer purchased and revamped the zoo in 2008. Her remarkable mission to restore the site into a Welsh tourist attraction was documented in the TV series Chaos at The Zoo.
Under their management, the zoo has seen significant improvements, including the construction of a £300,000 rhino house and the introduction of new species such as lions, zebras, and parrots.
The couple's ownership of the zoo was never without its challenges, and it eventually took a toll on their relationship, leading to their divorce in 2017. In an interview with the Mail Online, they attributed the breakdown of their marriage to the "stresses and strains and expense of running our wildlife park have destroyed our marriage".
Following their split, the pair became embroiled in a bitter public dispute over ownership, which Richardson described as a "horrid limbo". Speaking on the 'How To Be 60' podcast with Kaye Adams, the 61 year old shared: "I am enjoying a bit of celibacy, to be honest... but we've dived straight in there, haven't we? I'm officially still married for another few weeks.
"It's been probably the worst time, I think. It's actually been going on for such a long time. Have I wasted all that time? Being in this horrid limbo and control and not really living my life, even though I look like them."
However, in October 2024, the dispute appears to have been resolved, with Ryder Richardson returning to her role as manager of the zoo.
In a statement, the former TV star expressed her excitement: "I am very excited, it has been a long time coming, but I am finally back with my beloved animals, incredible team, and excited to greet our visitors into the park. I have huge plans for the future of Manor Wildlife Park."
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