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Calm Classics with Ritula Shah 10pm - 1am
12 February 2026, 10:13
This February marks Myleene Klass’ 20th anniversary as a Classic FM presenter. And what a couple of decades it’s been...
Myleene Klass first joined Classic FM 20 years ago, initially presenting the Sunday Breakfast programme in 2006, before becoming the host of our late-night calming classical music programme on weekends.
In the specially rebranded Calm Klassics on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February, from 10pm-1am, Myleene will choose a selection of calming classical music, interspersed with reflections on two decades behind the microphone.
To mark 20 wonderful years, here are 20 of her best moments so far...
Myleene has co-hosted Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall several times over the last 20 years. For the last few years, the concert has been broadcast as a TV programme on Sky Arts.
Myleene played harp in a recital for Classic FM’s 25th birthday celebrations at Dumfries House in 2017, held in the presence of Charles and Camilla, the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music, having won a scholarship as a teenager, and the Junior department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before that, Myleene has her roots in classical music. In 2025, she was announced as a visiting lecturer in musical theatre, teaching and leading masterclasses three to four times a year.
Myleene is a classically trained pianist who has released several classical crossover albums, one of which reached No.1 in the classical charts. Most recently, in 2025 she released My Taylor Lullabies.
Myleene hosted the Classic Brit Awards three times, in 2012, 2013 and 2018 – after it returned from a five-year break. She co-hosted it with fellow Classic FM presenter Alexander Armstrong.
Born in 1978, Myleene was raised in Norfolk to an Austrian-English father and a Filipina mother, who introduced her to music at an early age. Her grandmother was an opera singer, and her grandfather a passionate violinist, inspiring Myleene to pick up an instrument of her own.
While best known as a pianist, she also plays harp, organ and violin, and has performed at several concerts over the last two decades.
In 2010, Myleene hosted Popstar to OperaStar with Alan Titchmarsh. Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen judged the competition. The following year, she hosted it online with judges Katherine Jenkins and Rolando Villazón.
In 2023 she co-hosted a new Sky Arts show, Musical Masterpieces, with Master of the King’s Music Errollyn Wallen, exploring the magic behind three of classical music’s most famous works.
In 2022 Myleene published a new book They Don’t Teach This at School, a practical guide full of essential everyday skills, which later became a podcast on Global Player.
In 2020, during lockdown, Myleene became a mentor in schools across the UK and launched her highly successful ‘Myleene’s Music Klass’ online, bringing music education to children and parents nationwide.
Myleene's Music Klass
Myleene appeared as a contestant on the second edition of The Masked Singer: I’m a Celebrity Special. She sang Andrea Bocelli’s ‘Time to Say Goodbye’, dressed as a feather boa-clad Bearded Dragon.
BEARDED DRAGON Performs ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ By Sarah Brightman | The Masked Singer IAC 2023
A passionate campaigner for women and children, in 2023 Myleene campaigned successfully to change miscarriage care laws. In 2025 she was awarded an MBE for her work on women’s health, raising awareness of miscarriage.
Myleene has raised three musical children, Ava, Hero and Apollo, who have all grown up learning to play piano with their mother. Her daughter Hero plays trumpet, and her eldest Ava studied cello and piano at the Royal Academy of Music junior department. She is now continuing her musical studies at university.
Since 2024, Myleene has served as St John Ambulance’s first official celebrity ambassador. A passionate advocate for CPR, she has personally saved both of her own daughters from choking and used her skills to help a stranger in an emergency in 2025.
Myleene finished in second place in the 2006 season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. She returned to the series in 2023 for the ‘All Stars’ special in South Africa, which she won, walking away crowned Queen of the Jungle.
Myleene joined Save the Children as an ambassador in January 2012, and was more recently appointed as ambassador to Tommy’s, the baby charity.
In 2012 Myleene helped launch Save the Children’s Build it for Babies appeal, raising funds to build seven life-saving clinics for mothers and babies in north-east Bangladesh. Since then Myleene has visited The Philippines to promote their Breastfeeding Saves Lives campaign, and has been to Nepal to hear from mothers forced to give birth without proper medical care.
Outside of presenting and music, Myleene also works as a designer and has collaborated with several brands including Marks & Spencer, Littlewoods, Skechers, Next, and most recently Freemans, with her own range of designs.
Myleene is a dedicated supporter of Global’s Make Some Noise. She has supported the charity through gala night performances, charity singles, busking and playing music to support small projects to make sure no one faces life’s toughest challenges alone.
A mum and step mum of five children with her partner, Simon, Myleene has released three parenting books that have reached the Top 10 Sunday Times Bestseller List.
At their mutual friend, celebrity PR Simon Jones’ wedding, Myleene performed a duet with Little Mix star Perrie Edwards, with Myleene on piano and Perrie on vocals.
The broadcaster also played a duet of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue with star organist Anna Lapwood on the 9,999-pipe organ of the Royal Albert Hall ahead of Classic FM Live.
She has also performed with Matt Lucas and Guy Garvey of Elbow, the latter for a one-off performance in aid of Save the Children.
Anna Lapwood gives Myleene Klass a lesson on the Royal Albert Hall organ!