Escape To The Country host fights back tears as she 'gets emotional on show for the first time EVER' after widow's heartbreaking tale
An Escape To The Country host fought back tears as she 'got emotional on the show for the first time ever'.
Friday's instalment of the popular BBC show saw property expert Nicki Chapman help Steph, who was looking for a home in North Yorkshire.
Steph's husband had sadly passed away after a battle with Parkinson's and dementia and she hoped to achieve their goal of living in the picturesque countryside.
'The past years have been more about dying than living and I think it's time to start living again,' Steph, who was moving from Buckinghamshire, said.
Steph's best friend, Sue, also featured on the show and offered her support.
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'I want to go swimming in landscapes that inspire me to do my art. Be near places that I can go walking and running, maybe some wild water swimming and to do all the things that my husband and I planned to do,' she said.
With a budget of £420,000, Steph was looking for a semi-detached property with three bedrooms and enough room for an art studio.
During the instalment, Nicki showed Steph around several possible homes in different areas of North Yorkshire including South Otterington and Thornton-le-Dale.
At one point, while Steph was touring a property, Nicki spoke candidly and appeared to tear up.
'For the first time ever,' she said before emotionally covering her mouth.
'I'm getting quite emotional...
'I'll leave it,' Nicki added, before walking away from the camera.
In the end, Steph put an offer on the mystery property, which was accepted on the basis she sold her house in Buckinghamshire.
Another buyer on Escape To The Country burst into tears after 'falling in love' during a property viewing, before a baffling U-turn.
A previous instalment of the BBC house-hunting show saw Joey ask property expert Alistair Appleton for help.
Joey, who works in customer service for a major airline, hoped to find an idyllic countryside home in Wiltshire and move out of her small flat near Heathrow Airport as she approaches retirement.
She explained, 'I've decided I want to move onto pastures new. Have a bit of greenery in my life.'
Accompanied by her friend, Susan, during her search, Joey had a budget of £260,000 for a two-bedroom home with a garden and a two-hour commute from the airport.
When Alistair showed Joey the very first property, an hour and 35 minutes away from her workplace, she was immediately taken.
'Well straight away I really like it, it's a perfect size,' Joey gushed about the 19th Century cottage.
She commented on the 'perfect size' of the kitchen, but when she entered the living room which featured a characterful fireplace and wooden floors, Joey broke down in tears.
Susan explained: 'This is just what she's been imagining for years and years.'
Buyer Joey, left, on Escape To The Country burst into tears after 'falling in love' during a property viewing, before a baffling U-turn
Accompanied by her friend, Susan, right, during her search, Joey had a budget of £260,000 for a two bedroom home with a garden and a two hour commute from the airport
Joey agreed and added: 'It's so cosy isn't it, it's what I've been looking for. This is really really nice.'
'I just think this is Joey's dream,' Susan said.
Alistair revealed the asking price was £220,000, putting it £40,000 under budget.
Joey was overcome with emotion again and wiped away tears before continuing the tour.
However, even though Joey felt so strongly about the property, at the end of the episode she didn't make an offer and instead decided to continue searching.
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Meanwhile Skye Gyngell, who heads Spring at Somerset House in London and is culinary director at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, picked up the lifetime achievement award. 'The inclusion of restaurants serving more rustic French food as well as Greek, Indian, British, Thai, Chinese, African, Spanish, Korean and Italian cuisine shows that the UK's restaurant scene is among the most inclusive in the world,' argues Chomka. But with the win for London's iconic five-star hotel, however, it seems old-school charm and unashamedly French cooking is still puttin' on the Ritz. The top 100 in full 100. Maison Francois, London 99. St. John, London 98. Trivet, London 97. The Palmerston, Edinburgh 96. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon 95. Luca, London 94. Crocadon, Saltash, Cornwall 93. Lisboeta, London 92. Gymkhana, London 91. Planque, London 90. The Quality Chophouse, London 89. Lita, London 88. Forge at Middleton Lodge, Richmond, north Yorkshire 87. Fallow, London 86. Solo, Omskirk, Lancashire 85. The Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland, Lancashire 84. Hide, London 83. The Grill by Tom Booton, London 82. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield, Staffordshire 81. The Black Swan at Oldstead, Oldstead, north Yorkshire 80. The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich, Kent 79. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh 78. Inver, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute 77. Heft, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 76. The Muddlers Club, Belfast 75. 74. Sola, London 73. Restaurant Hjem, Hexham, Northumberland 72. Mýse, Hovingham, north Yorkshire 71. The French House, London 70. Wildflowers, London 69. The Clove Club, London 68. Annwn, Narberth, Pembrokeshire 67. Solstice, Newcastle 66. The Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar, Fife 65. Wilsons, Bristol 64. Plates, London 63. Starling, Esher, Surrey 62. The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Brampton, Cumbria 61. Sollip, London 60. Skof, Manchester 59. Morchella, London 58. Cornus, London 57. Humble Chicken, London 56. Gorse, Cardiff 55. The Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria 54. Brat, London 53. 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Kitchen Table, London 21. Lyle's, London (closed since May 18) 20. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London 19. Da Terra, London 18. A Wong, London 17. Lyla, Edinburgh 16. Ikoyi, London 15. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale, Berkshire 14. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London 13. Kiln, London 12. The Devonshire, London 11. Mountain, London 10. Dorian, London 9. Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach, Ceredigion 8. Osip, Bruton, Somerset 7. AngloThai, London 6. Oma, London The top five 5. Bouchon Racine, London Henry Harris's Lyonnaise menu stars snails, steak tartare, veal chop, côte de boeuf, crème caramel and more. 'If you don't like it, you don't like food,' writes William Sitwell. 4. Trinity, London A Michelin-star restaurant in Clapham Old Town, Adam Byatt's Trinity is still going strong after 19 years. Four courses at dinner costs £140. 3. The Ledbury, London Brett Graham opened The Ledbury, in Notting Hill, in 2005. Having gained two Michelin stars it was forced to close for almost two years because of Covid; it reopened in 2022 and has gone on to win back a full three stars. The dinner tasting menu is £285. 2. Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire Mark Birchall's elegant restaurant with rooms also holds three Michelin stars and has helped to make Lancashire a destination for food lovers. 1. The Ritz, London Victorious for the first time in the National Restaurant Awards and 'the best example [of top-end French cuisine] in this country,' says Stefan Chomka.
