Domestic goddess who pioneered reality cleaning shows overcame horrific childhood abuse to become one of Britain’s highest-paid presenters – leaving husband Peter ‘heartbroken at loss of soulmate’
Kim Woodburn, the no-nonsense cleaning expert who transformed Britain’s grimiest homes with her catchphrase “scrub dear, don’t tickle,” has died aged 83 following a short illness.
The TV personality, who shot to fame alongside Aggie MacKenzie on Channel 4’s groundbreaking series How Clean Is Your House?, passed away on Monday, leaving her husband Peter “heartbroken at the loss of his soulmate.”
A statement from her manager confirmed: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday following a short illness. Kim was an incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person.”
From Tragedy to TV Triumph
Becoming a beloved television star was never on the cards for the young Hampshire girl who endured unimaginable childhood trauma.
Born Patricia Mary McKenzie in Eastney, Hampshire on March 25, 1942, Kim was brutally honest about her incredibly difficult upbringing and how she overcame it to become one of TV’s highest-paid presenters.
He never once sent me a card on my birthday or a note to say he was missing me,” she revealed about her absent father.
“My mum didn’t really care very much. I was the youngest of two daughters and my mother, who drank a lot, made it clear she preferred my sister Gloria to me.
“My mother’s favourite expression was, ‘If I’d known what you were going to be like, I would have sent you back’.”
As she grew older, she learned her father was a serial womaniser who “had a reputation for being as randy as a butcher’s dog.”
In her 2006 autobiography “Unbeaten,” Kim revealed she was physically abused by her parents throughout her childhood and sexually abused by her father – trauma that would shape her fierce determination to succeed.
Heartbreaking Loss
At just 16, Kim fled her abusive home and moved to Liverpool, where she worked as a live-in cleaner. But tragedy struck when she was 23 – she prematurely gave birth to a stillborn son and, in her grief, buried him in a park.
This devastating revelation in her autobiography led to a police inquiry, though no action was taken. After losing her baby, she changed her name from Patricia to Kim, after American actress Kim Novak.
The Birth of a TV Icon
Kim’s big break came in 2002 when Channel 4 contacted a cleaning company looking for “a really good cleaner with quite a funny temperament for a new series.”
The company recommended Woodburn, who was then earning £1,000 a month as a live-in cleaner for a family in Kent. After a screen test, she was paired with Aggie MacKenzie, and filming began three weeks later.
How Clean Is Your House? became an instant hit, running from 2003 to 2009. The duo would don their rubber gloves and march into Britain’s most disgusting homes, with Kim’s no-nonsense approach and memorable catchphrases making her a household name.
The show’s success led to books, board games, DVDs, and even appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show in America, where it aired on BBC America.
Reality TV Queen
After How Clean Is Your House? ended, Kim became reality TV royalty:
- 2009: Finished runner-up to Gino D’Acampo on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
- 2017: Created TV gold on Celebrity Big Brother, finishing third in a series marked by explosive rows, particularly with Coleen Nolan
- Regular appearances on This Morning, Loose Women, and Celebrity Come Dine With Me
- Starred in Canadian version Kim’s Rude Awakenings from 2007-2009
The Aggie Feud
Years ago, a bitter rift emerged between Kim and her How Clean Is Your House? co-star Aggie MacKenzie after a bust-up at a theatre in Brighton in 2007. They reportedly never spoke off-camera again.
Aggie had accused Kim of “overstepping the mark” during a row while doing panto. “I lost my rag with her,” Aggie said. “She didn’t apologise and I thought, ‘Right, there’s a line drawn here!’ We’ve never spoken since.”
In 2022, Kim acknowledged: “Of course we fell out.”
Final Message
Kim’s last Instagram post came in February when she revealed she was taking a break due to health issues. “No more videos for now, my loves, I need to get better!” she wrote.
Her husband Peter, who she married in 1979 and lived with in Nantwich, Cheshire, shared a touching video montage on Tuesday with photos from when she was just four years old, writing: “My wonderful, beautiful Kim passed away last night. God bless, my love.”
Tributes Pour In
Celebrity friends and fans have been paying tribute to the TV icon.
Jedward wrote: “Rest in Peace Kim Woodburn you will forever be our Celebrity Big Brother Friend! We grew up watching you and to share those memories together you will be truly missed for the tv gold you created for all generations.”
One devastated fan wrote: “Anyone who knows me know I would constantly be quoting Kim Woodburn and how I wanted to meet her in person so she could call me a chicken livered s**t!! RIP Kim and hope you’re causing carnage up there!!”
Legacy of the Queen of Clean
From an abused child who fled home at 16 to becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable TV personalities, Kim Woodburn’s journey was nothing short of remarkable.
Her straight-talking approach, combined with genuine warmth and humor, revolutionised reality TV and created an entirely new genre of programming.
With her trademark tight braided bun and unforgettable catchphrases, Kim Woodburn proved that sometimes the most unlikely people can become the brightest stars.
She leaves behind her devoted husband Peter and millions of fans who will forever remember her battle cry: “Scrub dear, don’t tickle!
