Imagine this: it’s a Friday night in the mid-90s. The telly’s on, and there’s a woman with a halo of blonde curls saying something about a glass of Chardonnay being “reminiscent of a choirboy’s knee” or “a damp spaniel.” One half of the country is scratching its head; the other half is looking for a corkscrew. That woman was Jilly Goolden, and she didn’t merely speak about wine—she blasted the dusty doors off a cellar that had been barred to all but the “men in suits” for decades.
Fast forward to March 2026. The world of the digital sommelier-influencers on TikTok spend their days bickering over “minimal intervention” and “skin contact,” but here is Jilly still doing what she does best: making wine fun, accessible and gloriously eccentric. She’s left behind the frenetic energy of television studios to create something far more personal in the Sussex countryside.
Anyway, if you’re curious about how the woman who taught Britain to sniff, sip, and swill is spending her time now, it’s a lot of peacocks, some incredibly high-end masterclasses, and one defiant refusal to ever be dull.
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Inside the Wine Room: A Jilly Goolden Masterclass in Sussex
Here’s the thing about Jilly Goolden: she was never going to just retire and quietly sip tea. For over a decade now, she’s been running The Wine Room, a boutique tasting experience based at her stunning home in the Ashdown Forest, East Sussex.
It’s not a formal, stuffy tasting. Imagine an afternoon with the coolest aunt you’ve ever had, who just so happens to be a world-class palate. For roughly £125 a person, guests sit in her private “Wine Room” while she guides them through a flight of wines that include “big, fat, juicy reds” and dainty vintage bubbles. She still hasn’t lost that linguistic flair, either. In 2026, her descriptions remain as vivid and captivating as they did on BBC’s Food and Drink.
The crazy part? She still tastes about 80 wines a week to keep her palate sharp. She’s moved away from the “sharp end” of tasting 150 a week, but honestly, at 76, that’s a level of dedication most of us can’t imagine. If you want to see her in action, you can still book sessions through her official website.
The Woman Behind the Glass: Family and Peacocks
People also ask, ‘Is Jilly Goolden married?’ The backstory here is a bit more bittersweet than it used to be. Jilly was famously married to Paul Marshall for almost 40 years. Paul—a senior civil servant at the Department of Health—and they were a fearsome duo until his death in March 2021.
She now resides in that same sprawling country house in East Sussex, which she shares with an extraordinary menagerie. The actual stars of the show (besides Jilly) are her peacocks, Percy and Pidge. If you’ve ever watched her describe her home life, then you’ll know it’s less “city glam” and more “English country eccentric.”
Jilly Goolden three grown children are all “flown”, as she says. And although she’s a celebrity, her home life is intensely private and down to earth. It’s that balance of the high-flying TV career and the muddy boots of Sussex that makes her so accessible.
Age is Just a Number (And a Vintage)
So, how old is Jilly Goolden? As of March 2026, she is 76 years old. She was born on Sept. 28, 1949, and she appears to have even more bounce in her step now than she did during her “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!” days back in 2005.
She has, of late, been back on the speaking circuit at events such as the Group Leisure & Travel (GLT) Show. She has been telling stories from her travels—road-tripping through New Zealand in a camper van and sleeping in a wooden hut in Madagascar with a man watching over her with a spear.
She has not lost her edge, either. In a recent interview, she mused about her great fondness for the Orient Express, especially the viewing platform on the Far Eastern route. It’s that kind of no-nonsense, observational wit that makes her relevant in a 2026 media landscape.
The Legacy of “Winespeak”
Listen, we live in a time when everyone is an “expert” on social media. But Jilly Goolden was the original. She was the one who put “winespeak” to rest — that stiff, academic way of talking about fermented grapes that made everyone else sound stupid.
She allowed us to smell “burnt rubber”, “pencil shavings” and “wet wool”. She transformed a drink into a story. Today, if you see a TikToker discuss a wine that smells like “stale popcorn”, you are witnessing the ghost of Jilly’s genius. She belongs to the “76-Year-Olds” club on Famous Birthdays, but her influence is eternal.
She is still a legend of British satire as well. Her Spitting Image puppet still comes up in documentaries about 90s television. Most people might be offended at being depicted as an eccentric wine-sodden puppet — but Jilly? She wears it with a sense of pride and dignity.
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Why Jilly Goolden Still Matters
In 2026, authenticity is what we’re all after. We’re sick of the slick, AI-perfect world “out there”. Jilly Goolden is the opposite of that. She’s messy, she’s loud, she’s passionate and she’s 100% human.
Whether she’s hosting a boutique tasting in Sussex or dispensing travel advice about the Orient Express, she reminds us that life—and wine—should be lived with all five senses. She’s the lady who taught a nation to stop being afraid of the bottle and start enjoying the “velvet glove” of a good red.
So the next time you’re in the supermarket and you reach for a bottle that smells like something close to “old books and damp earth,” think of Jilly Goolden. She’d be proud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How old is Jilly Goolden in 2026?
Jilly is now 76 years of age. She was born in September 1949.
Q2. Is Jilly Goolden still married?
Jilly was married to Paul Marshall from 1984 until his death in March 2021.
Q3. Can you still go to a wine tasting with her?
Absolutely. She is the proprietor of “The Wine Room” in East Sussex. Booking information is on her official website.
Q4. Does she still do TV?
She still guest stars occasionally and is a popular keynote speaker at events like the GLT Show, but her main focus now is her private masterclasses.
Sources & References
- Group Leisure & Travel. (2026). Jilly Goolden on wine, food, and travel.
- Jilly Goolden. (2026). The Wine Room official site.
- Famous Birthdays. (2026). Jilly Goolden profile.
- The Guardian. (2015, September 12). A wine afternoon with Jilly Goolden.
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. The content discusses public figures and publicly available information without any intent of promotion, endorsement, or commercial benefit. Readers are encouraged to verify details through official sources where necessary. The publisher is not responsible for any decisions made based on the information provided in this article.
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