Barker began her work in television as a set designer, where she met her husband. She was one of the group of people including Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen approached by the BBC in 1996 to work on a television show called "Changing Rooms" as designers. Barker also started co-presenting "House Invaders" in 1999, and co-presented a three-part special called "Planet Christmas" in 2001. After six years of "Changing Rooms", restricted by the BBC's position on commercial endorsement and disappointed to be overlooked as a replacement presenter to Carol Smillie, she left the show.