Bridge of Allan mum reveals what it was like behind the scenes on Location, Location, Location

The Courier

18 hours ago

A Bridge of Allan mum has revealed what it was like behind the scenes on popular TV property show Location, Location, Location.
Lorraine Macleod starred on Wednesday's episode of the Channel 4 programme with her daughter Emma Carman.
Hosts Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp were trying to help the pair – who were living with Lorraine's parents – find a new home on a budget of £275,000.
Despite offering well above the asking price for a cottage in Torbrex, Lorraine and Emma lost out on that house.
However, a few weeks later, they bought a 'perfect' three-bedroom townhouse in Bridge of Allan for £255,000.
Lorraine, 48, told The Courier that her mum convinced her to apply to be on Location, Location, Location.
She said: 'We were struggling to find a property, and we were living at my mum and dad's place at that point and had been for around six months.
'Mum is a particularly huge fan of the show, and she said, 'You qualify, you're chain-free, you could do this'.
'I think it was her way of saying, 'Please leave!''
From there, it took months of screening to be approved to go on the Channel 4 show.
The Stirling episode was filmed around a year ago.
Lorraine told The Courier that about 90 properties were looked at before the final four were selected for the pair to view.
It was also a huge surprise when Lorraine's daughter, Meg, returned from Australia.
She and Emma had prioritised a three-bedroom property in their search so that the 24-year-old would have a place to stay when she got back to Stirling.
Lorraine said: 'They were looking to get hold of Meg to include her by doing filming with her over Zoom while she was still in Australia.
'It wasn't working out and we weren't getting the timings right, etc, but actually, as it turned out, she was paying us a surprise visit and on her way home.
'That's why we couldn't get her.
'It was a bit of a shock when she walked through the door.'
Meg returned to Australia in January and is 'living her best life' at Bondi Beach.
Location, Location, Location also inspired Emma, 20, to start working for an estate agent alongside her law studies.
While the pair lost out on the Torbrex cottage, the mum-of-two says it 'wasn't meant to be'.
Lorraine said: 'We ended up with an incredible property that's really perfect in Bridge of Allan.
'What's for you won't go by you.'
Lorraine says she is grateful to be close to her sister, who has young children, and to have a thriving high street on her doorstep.
Meeting Phil and Kirstie was also a highlight for Lorraine.
She added: 'They're really nice people.
'We thoroughly enjoyed being part of it.
'I would definitely recommend it if anybody else was looking for a little bit of help in that direction.'