Latest news with #EscapetotheCountry
Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Escape to the Country host stunned by couple's unexpected move in 'show first'
Escape to the Country host Ginny Buckley was on hand to help a couple look for their dream home in Wales during Tuesday's episode of the BBC show Escape to the Country host Ginny Buckley recently highlighted a first-time moment in her decade-long run on the BBC series. In Tuesday's episode (July 22), Ginny was tasked with assisting a couple in their significant relocation from Somerset to South West Wales. Outdoor enthusiasts Paul and Michelle had a maximum budget of £400,000 for a traditional detached property with high ceilings, requiring at least three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A substantial space for Paul to convert into a workshop for restoring his vintage bike was also on their wish list. The property also needed to have a generous outdoor area as they intended to start a glamping business or a forest school, reports Wales Online. Ginny arranged several property viewings that ticked all the boxes for the couple; however, it was evident that the mystery property left them astounded. The property in question, located in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, was slightly under their budget, listed at £395,000. The 1930s bungalow boasted three bedrooms, a kitchen diner, and 2 acres of land with a stunning view. Just before viewing the mystery property, Paul and Michelle did something Ginny had never witnessed in her ten years on Escape to the Country. Clearly enamoured by the view and the garden space, they chose to explore the outdoors first before venturing inside. Ginny was caught off guard by a unique request during her decade-long tenure on Escape to the Country, confessing: "This is the very first time, in 10 years of working on Escape to the Country, that I've had someone wanting to explore the garden first." She noted the couple's affinity for the Welsh outdoors, saying: "It shows how much the outdoors here in Wales really appeals to these two. I hope the inside of the house matches up too." Michelle was visibly impressed with the property, stating: "Completely astonished by it and it's everything we are looking for. The house does need some work done to it but it's doable and lots of it we can do ourselves." However, despite their initial enthusiasm, the couple ultimately decided against making an offer, indicating they are still on the hunt for their perfect home. Escape to the Country airs weekdays from 3pm on BBC One and iPlayer
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- General
- North Wales Live
My 'boring' but best-selling Amazon essential that has saved my garden and my water bill
It maybe a rather surprising home product to be a little obsessed with, but I am a massive fan of water butts - yup, I am that interesting - but stick with me here because this product could save you money as well as help you make your garden look lush. Over the years after spending way too much of my hard earned wages on plants for my small but much-loved garden, only to see them wither and die during hot weather while I wrack up the water metre trying to save them, I decided a water butt might help with the water bill and help to remind me to actually tend to the garden when the sun is out. So, with only a modest budget I researched what was on offer and I played safe with Amazon's best seller, the Black Slimline Space Saver 100 litre Water Butt from Storm Trading Group that comes with all that is needed to connect it to a downpipe, a tap and a stand. Currently for sale for £36.99 from Amazon. For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here. Fitting a water butt to a downpipe is a bit of a worry for a clumsy person like me, so it was worth the investment to get the local handyman over to chop through the pipe and attach the supplied fitting and that was it - now about half of the water from the gutter is diverted into the product from the pipe. So I have been lucky in that there have been some showers between the mini heatwaves which have refilled this new water butt, so I can truthfully say I have only used the water collected in this water butt to keep my garden refreshed. Of course, if my garden was bigger this might not be the case, but for my little plot of Welsh haven, it was ideal. If I had bothered to replace my now perished hose pipe (why didn't I remember to store it in the shed?) and instead I use watering cans gives me a chance to inspect the plants, watch the birds, bees and butterflies visit my garden and generally is a slower pace way of watering but for me far more enjoyable and has helped me understand and connect with my plants far more than I thought possible. Of course, using a scenario of watering with one can while the other fills up under the butt isn't everyone's idea of excitement, but for me, I felt a lot more connected to my plants and, not being that great a gardener, could see who needed more water, who needed pruning, and who was about to be totally eaten by snails. It also meant not attaching the hose pipe, if I still had one, to the outside tap, letting it run nestled into the foliage, forgetting about it while going inside the house and watching Escape to the Country, and sending our water bill sky high. I still use this butt, even though it's leaning to one side somewhat, but my new product situated in the corner of the garden by the house doesn't bother me too much visually, I am trying to persuade a nearby climbing ever-green jasmine to divert some of its branches to give the water butt a cwtch and disguise it somewhat, but it's not convinced it wants to at this present time. There are more fancy water butts to consider - told you I was a bit obsessed - if you have a bigger budget and want the product to blend into your garden scheme or be disguised in some way. Manufactured by sweeek and available from B&Q for £149, the 300 litre, wall-mounted water butt in beige could be a good choice for blending into a white or cream painted exterior wall. Not everyone likes the idea of an imposing slab of plastic taking a prominent place in their garden - I didn't at the start, so my first water butt was called a beehive which had a rather fancy terracotta urn-style design, which is unfortunately currently out of stock. A visually attractive alternative that includes the option of adding plants to the top of it to make it look more like a patio container than a water butt is the Garantia Antique Amphora 250L in Terracotta currently reduced by £48 to £251.99 via Robert Dyas. If the option to plant is a great idea and if terracotta is not an option that fits into the garden design then the Elho Green Basics Rainbarrel priced £249.54 from Amazon offers an arguably more contemporary option in black. Disguising the water butt as something completely different is an option too, with Water Butts Direct offering a product that looks like a tree trunk, called the 475L Evergreen Tree Trunk Water Butt. Priced £349.99 the tree trunk is one inventive option but another is a water butt that is doing a grand job of pretending to be a big oak barrel, with this option from Water Butts Direct priced at £220. Amazon has an alternative that is cheaper at £199.95 manufactured by Novecrafto and called the Rustic Oak Barrel Water Butt Kit, it costs £199.95. Both options are plastic but made to look like wood. For going for the luxury end of the market is within budget Charles Bentley doing an eye-catching range via Amazon or directly from the manufacturer. Options include a contemporary grey container with the option of pebbles placed at the top and a chrome tap priced £254.99 and a water butt designed to look like a wooden garden storage shed, with using Scandi Spruce Wood Effect. Holding 230 litres of water it is available from Amazon and costs £449.99. Finally, if the aim is to catch and store as much rainwater as possible the Harcostar 227 Litre Green Water Butt Double Kit is the practical if not very pretty solution. Sold and shipped by Great Green Systems Ltd, the product costs £159.99 and available via the B&Q website. Pop a garden screen in front of this duo and no-one will ever know they were working hard to help keep your garden green through the summer sunshine.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Escape to the Country's Jules Hudson shares exciting career move away from BBC show
Jules Hudson has shared some big career news with his fans - and they rushed to show their support for the Escape to the Country presenter Escape to the Country presenter Jules Hudson has been flooded with support as he took to social media to share some significant career developments. The beloved BBC host announced on Instagram that he's embarking on an exciting new venture, starring in Channel 5's upcoming series Coastal Adventures alongside Helen Skelton and JB Gill, reports the Express. The show kicked off on 15th July, with viewers already able to stream the first episode. Jules shared a sneak peek trailer on his Instagram, writing: "Ahoy there! ! For much of this year, myself and my wonderful chums Helen Skelton and JB Gill have been out and about exploring our magical coastlines for our BRAND NEW 8-part series, Coastal Adventures with Helen, Jules and JB. "Starts [July 15] at 8pm on @channel5_tv. We'd love love love you to join us and share our maritime mischief!" The announcement was met with enthusiasm from fans in the comments section, with one expressing: "Aww, one of my dreams Jules! Visit UK and the amazing countryside and the coastlines. I will try to watch it here in Australia." Another fan commented: "Brilliant... really looking forward to it." A third inquired: "Is this on BritBox? We're in Michigan and watch every Escape - but would love to catch your coastline show. Please tell us how!" Helen also spread the word on her own Instagram, posting: "Filmed a new series earlier this year... It's a celebration of the British coastline and hopefully will give you some ideas of places to explore close to home. "Grateful to be working with such a top time. It's on [July 15] 8pm, expect some coastal spam!" The opening episode witnesses Helen plunging 4,500 feet down Britain's most profound mine, whilst JB discovers the peculiar splendour of Dungeness. Meanwhile, Jules makes his way to Devon to embark from Salcombe. It appears as though the TV star is not slowing down any time soon as he also continues to film for Escape to the Country. He recently told his followers that he would be househunting somewhere the show had never been to before. "Well folks, I'm shooting another episode of Escape to the Country this week, but I am SO excited to be somewhere the show has never ever been before," he said. "If you look at that coastline behind me you could be forgiven for thinking you were perhaps in Cornwall or North Devon or even Pembrokeshire, but here's the rub. "Look over there, that is Port Erin, and if you know your geography of the British Isles, hopefully, that means you will appreciate we are on the Isle of Man. "I've never been here before, nor has Escape to the Country, but we are relishing the opportunity to explore somewhere which certainly, for me and for many of us, is new." You can watch Coastal Adventures on Channel 5 and Escape to the Country is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC star makes comment on retirement after health issue mistaken as stroke
Television favourite Nicki Chapman has spoken about the impact of being diagnosed with a brain tumour and her thoughts about retiring from a glittering career in television Television presenter Nicki Chapman has issued a definitive statement on whether she plans to retire any time soon. The star of Pop Idol and Escape to the Country said that she wants to continue looking forward and to stay in her profession. Nicki's comments came after a terrifying health incident in which she was originally believed to have had a stroke before doctors realised she had a benign melanoma on her brain. Speaking to Candis magazine about the ordeal, the BBC star said: 'They thought I'd had a stroke. I cannot praise the NHS highly enough: I was looked after brilliantly from start to finish. 'I went back to work six weeks to the day after surgery. I'm 58. I have my health, my various jobs, and my lovely husband.' On whether she plans to retire, Nicki added: 'Heavens no. If you're lucky enough to love what you do, keep doing it. And I've never been someone who looks back. I always look forward – in both senses of the phrase.' This isn't the first time Nicki has spoken about her tumour and how it has affected her since she was diagnosed in 2024, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show presenter spoke to the Brain Tumour charity in 2020 about the experience and the distress she felt. She said: 'My symptoms were very sudden, over 24 hours. Initially doctors thought I'd had a stroke but scans revealed a golf-ball-sized meningioma. "It's the initial shock of diagnosis and then the shock when you tell people that's even more distressing. "It's like a slap. When you have to ring people – your family – and tell them; it's just hideous." Later, in 2024, she would tell the Mirror how much she was thankful to the NHS for their treatment of her, especially during the recovery. She said: 'Fortunately, my experience was a good one, my recovery was amazing, but I still take one day at a time. 'I'm a very positive person, so to always put a positive spin on life has helped keep me going.' Nicki added that she felt like she should share her experience so that others in the same position didn't feel alone. She explained: 'I decided to speak out after my operation as I felt not only had I received the best care I could have asked for from my local hospital and the NHS, but also that my story may help others going through something similar.'
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
BBC Escape to the Country star's tragic cause of death revealed after going on show in search for ‘dream new life'
The star appeared on a 2021 episode of the show TRAGIC LOSS BBC Escape to the Country star's tragic cause of death revealed after going on show in search for 'dream new life' A WOMAN who featured on the BBC show Escape to the Country tragically died while undergoing a procedure in hospital, an inquest has heard. Emma Izzard, 53, was rushed to hospital on November 19 last year - after she had started to vomit blood - and died the following day after going into cardiac arrest while undergoing a gastroscopy. Advertisement 2 Emma Izzard, 53, suffered from alcoholism before her tragic death last year, an inquest has heard Credit: Facebook 2 She appeared on a 2021 episode of Escape to the Country with her partner at the time Kym Lofthouse Credit: BBC The star had previously appeared on an episode of the iconic BBC show in 2021 with her partner at the time Kym Lofthouse in the hopes of the pair finding a "new perfect life". An inquest into her death - held at Norfolk Coroner's Court this week - also heard how the 53-year-old died after struggling with alcoholism. Emma and Kym lived together in Luton, Bedfordshire, and were hoping to start a dream life in Norfolk when they signed up to the show. Aided by Escape to the Country host Ginny Buckley, the pair set out to try to find their perfect home, having picked Norfolk for its "clean air" and "slower place of life". Advertisement Read More on Showbiz GREGG'S HEART SCARE Gregg Wallace treated for 'heart attack' after misconduct probe stress Eventually, they moved to North Walsham in the county and despite later parting ways, the pair remained friends. At the inquest into Emma's death this week, Kym told the hearing how her former partner's alcohol consumption rose in July 2022 after her mum fell ill. The Eastern Daily Press reported that Kim also told the inquest Emma was fearful she was going to lose her mum. She added: "After six months of secret drinking, she wanted to stop but couldn't get the help required quickly enough and began drinking again." Advertisement Despite undergoing several stints in rehab, relapses caused her drinking "to become heavier". Kym continued: "Emma did not want to drink but it had taken a strong hold of her." Former TOTP presenter, 52, admits 'I need to stop drinking' after cancer battle Emma was rushed to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital by ambulance on November 19, 2024, after she had begun to vomit blood. Tragically, Emma died after going into cardiac arrest while undergoing a gastroscopy in the operating theatre. Advertisement At the inquest, her cause of death was given as an oesophageal and variceal bleed, with alcohol-related liver disease. The hearing was also told that Emma's dad - who died when she was just a teenager - had struggled with alcoholism himself. Coroner Johanna Thompson concluded that Emma's death was alcohol related. She said the 53-year-old had a "history of excess alcohol consumption", adding she had been suffering from alcohol-related liver disease. Advertisement The coroner said Emma presented with symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawl at the hospital, stating that the treatment undertaken sadly could not have saved her life.
