EXCLUSIVE BBC star battling health struggles doubles his money in just four years by transforming and selling his London home for £2.75million

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

Radio 2 star DJ Spoony is selling the grand Victorian house he turned into his dream home in a backbreaking four year renovation project - just months after undergoing life-saving brain surgery.
The DJ has decided it is time to move on - just as he completed the finishing touches on transforming the previously neglected property into 'a thing of beauty'.
He has put the house - which has six bedrooms and six bathrooms - on the market for a whopping £2.75million.
Despite spending a fortune renovating the place, Spoony, 54, is hoping to make a tidy profit on the sale after buying the house 'a prestigious residential avenue' in Bedford for £1.25 million in March 2021.
Along with his girlfriend Laura Henchoz, the Strictly Come Dancing star has posted dozens of photos on a special Instagram site he set up chronicling his passionate journey to transform the house which had been converted into a somewhat shabby 16 bedroom B&B into a modern family home.
The DJ shared the journey of the 'high and lows' and challenges he faced during the works which he and his partner Laura carried out along with a team of designers and builders.
In the end, the star created the ultimate party pad complete with a state-of-the-art studio with a unique DJ booth made out of aircraft parts.
There's also a home cinema hidden behind a secret bookcase, gym and a 'vinyl room of dreams' - a spectacular library where instead of books Spoony kept his collection of thousands of records which he played on a powerful sound system.
Outside, along with the landscaped gardens, there's a huge terrace and a recently completed outdoor bar, pergola and hot tub.
Spoony, whose real name is Johnathan Joseph, had hoped to complete the work within 12 months but in his most recent posting in March he told how it was 'still not finished'.
In the message he told how it had 'been a minute' since his last posting but explained there had been a lot going on 'with new radio shows, medical dramas and life generally life-ing'.
The DJ went through an horrific health scare last Christmas when he was rushed to hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain.
He was transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where he underwent surgery at 2am on Christmas Eve.
Revealing the news to fans shortly before new year, he told how he went to A&E on December 21st after around four weeks of suffering headaches.
He wrote on social media: 'They did a few tests and said they wanted to give me a CT scan. The scan showed I had a small bleed on the brain (that had stopped bleeding) that was causing a bit of pressure on the brain hence the headaches.
'They said that they were referring me to Addenbrooke's as they needed to operate asap. Crazy as I'd been working and training solidly all through the time of the headaches.'
He shared the news in an Instagram post on Monday alongside a selection of pictures himself during the process
It emerged he had suffered a subdural haematoma - a serious condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain that is usually caused by a head injury.
Patients usually need to undergo emergency surgery which involves either removing a section of the skull so the surgeon can access and remove the haematoma or drilling a small hole into the skull and inserting a tube to help drain it.
Spoony told fans that within 10 minutes of the operation he was on his way back to the ward 'fully alert, chatting and not feeling groggy'.
He added: 'What was crazy was the headache had instantly gone. Four weeks of this throb and finally peace up top.
'I woke up on Christmas morning in hospital. I was so grateful. Had something special to look forward to. Going home to my family and friends. All who had been incredible for the last few days. The visits, support, calls, messages. Very humbling.
'There was however some sadness waking up near to some people that didn't know where they were, that would've spent a large part, if not all, of the day without loved ones. I think about them all every day and hope they are making progress in their recovery.'
In an update in January he told fellow Radio 2 star Mark Goodier: 'You know my fitness isn't where it was, but my health is fine, the scars are healing amazingly.
'I can't believe how well the scars are healing. I'm sure I've had paper cuts that have taken longer to heal than the operation scars.
'I'm really good. Thank you for asking. Thank you to everybody that's messaged, it's been a bit overwhelming if I'm honest.'
The setback came as he was preparing to launch his new two-hour Radio 2 evening show The Good Groove which is broadcast Monday to Thursday.
Since then he appears to have continued on the road to full recovery and has continued to throw himself into work with appearances at a number of live shows and festivals alongside his radio programmes.
Spoony is yet to update fans over where he is planning to live next while estate agents have been highlighting the great selling points of the DJ's home.
They explain how the 7,500 sq ft mansion's imposing red-brick façade, gabled rooflines and period detailing make an 'immediate impression' that sets the stage for 'an interior that has been meticulously restored and reimagined to the highest standards'.
While describing the 'prestigious' property as 'a fusion of heritage architecture and modern design' they are putting a slightly different spin on how the restoration could work for buyers who may not be international DJ's.
They suggest Spoony's 'vinyl room' would be a 'sophisticated and elegant' library - describing it as 'a striking and atmospheric space designed for quiet retreat or focused work'.
His studio could be turned into 'the perfect environment for entertaining or a playroom' and his upstairs cinema has 'a peaceful feeling' that would make a perfect 'meditation space'.
But they were in no doubt that Spoony's re-workings of the house provided the 'wow factor' for any buyer.
The agents wrote in a glossy brochure: 'In its entirety, this home represents a rare opportunity to acquire a Victorian house of scale that has been fully modernised with architectural integrity and stylistic clarity.
'Every room has been shaped to enhance light, proportion and comfort, resulting in a home that is both distinctive and deeply functional.'
It certainly appears to be tastefully done. There doesn't seem to be a carpet in sight with wooden and concrete flooring along with classic-style tiling throughout as well as plenty of exposed brickwork.
The property has a huge open plan area where the modern 'bespoke' kitchen, dining room and living spaces have been combined 'to dramatic effect'.
The kitchen has white quartz worktops and a central island clad in solid brass while it's also equipped 'with integrated high-specification appliances' including dual wine fridges.
Giant sliding glass doors open onto the property's garden terrace offering a space that 'comfortably accommodates large gatherings while retaining a sense of proportion and calm'.
There's also a grand imposing hall entrance on the ground floor, as well as a study for 'professional or creative use' .
The first floor has three bedrooms - all with ensuite bathrooms - including the 'opulent' principal suite which has a bathroom with marble worktops and a free standing bath and a large dressing room in a space that creates 'a private and luxurious retreat'.
The second floor offers two further bedrooms, a dressing room, and the secret cinema room.
The first floor gym is accessed by a separate staircase and stands alongside a mezzanine balcony overlooking the sitting room.
The mezzanine is described as being 'ideal for guests or an au-pair' as there is also a further bedroom which has an en-suite shower room.
Hackney-born Spoony shot to fame in the 1990's, progressing from pirate radio to become one the first garage DJs to play the music genre on Radio 1.
He went on to front a Five Live phone-in show and hosted the Radio 1 Sunday Breakfast Show.
The DJ also took part in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Ola Jordan.
The pair were eliminated from the show in its third week, despite receiving positive comments from the judging panel.
The DJ was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2023 New Year Honours for his services to charity through music during the Covid pandemic.
Across ten weeks in the 2020 lockdown, he hosted DJ livestreams from his home every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, playing R&B, club classics, soul and UK garage.
The streams, which were broadcast live on social media, raised more than £20,000 for the NHS and various charities and saw more than one million listeners tune in.
Spoony said of the honour: 'I didn't think for the life of me that those streams would have the impact that they did. No way could I have imagined it.
'And I know that's quite romantic, but I see this award as much as for our community as for me. And that's largely why I'm accepting it, because I'm a little bit conflicted with the whole thing.
'But I'm going to take this on behalf of everybody that stuck together and made those afternoons and evenings streaming so pleasant.'
He went on to dedicate the honour to his late mother, declaring: 'I learned to dance standing on her feet and she gave me rhythm.'