Latest news with #GuyPhoenix
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The dilapidated apartment on sale for an eye-watering £16million - it looks luxe until you step inside
A graffitied and run-down duplex penthouse with horrific décor is on the market for a whopping £16million in Monaco. Luxury property developer Guy Phoenix, from Warwickshire, has been building homes for the super rich for the past 25 years in Britain and the south of France. The 51-year-old, who owns a ten bedroom mansion near St Tropez - a holiday spot loved by A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Moss and Beyoncé - has now set his sights on Monaco. Known for being the second-smallest sovereign state in the world after Vatican City with a radius of just 0.8 square miles, its exclusivity attracts the ultra-wealthy - meaning properties there are gold dust and can go for millions. The new Channel 4 series, Building Monaco's Superhomes, follows Guy as he views a run-down top floor apartment which boasts a terrace that overlooks much of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix racetrack and the famous Port Hercule. But what does £16million get you in Monaco? The answer is gratified walls, dated furnishings, hideous wallpaper and a tiny kitchen. Looking around the 163 sqm downstairs of the duplex property, Guy and the estate agent came across the words 'cigar room', which had been spray painted onto the white wall in the run-down office. 'Bit of artwork on the wall,' he joked as he continued the tour. They then viewed one of the bathrooms in the home, which was covered in brown floral patterned seventies style tiles. 'I'm sure my grandma chose this tile years ago,' Guy said, as he did not seem impressed by the apartment. But he was particularly disappointed by the narrow, dingy kitchen with old appliances, dull beige cupboards and ugly green tiles. 'That's the kitchen? You know when you buy a house in England you're not allowed to call that a kitchen. It's not big enough to be a kitchen,' Guy said. Other areas of the penthouse have been painted odd colours such as red, yellow and grey walls with random letters painted on them in black graffiti. Another bathroom had a small basic shower unit that wouldn't look out of place in a student house and the walls and ceiling were covered in bright green leafy wallpaper. The roof terrace was the apartment's saving grace, as Guy gasped when he saw the £16million view. 'There you go, that's what it's all about. In Monaco what people want is space but the most important thing from my research it's all about the location and the view,' he said. 'I already feel that this is right, I can envisage what can be done here. I can do a lot with this.' Guy estimated that he would have to spend a whopping £2million in renovations to get the apartment in a state where it can be sold for a profit and attract a new affluent owner willing to pay £22million for it. But despite the eye-watering pricetag, the penthouse does not come with a parking space, which means that Guy had to rent one for a cool £500,000 for the duration of carrying out his project. The cosy space in the underground car park was barely big enough to fit his Jeep in, meaning he had to squeeze in and out of his vehicle - not ideal for an area known for its love of ultra-wide supercars such as Ferrari and Lamborghini. The property guru then brought on a partner, businessman Alex Hearn, who has money to be able to splash on the penthouse. But it wasn't long until the pair run into trouble when £4million goes missing while transferring cash across banks. 'What the f*** is going on? So several million pounds has gone missing? We all need to calm down, we all need to relax a bit and see where this money has gone. Hopefully it arrives,' he said while on the phone with Alex. 'Right now we have £4million that has been lost, the Bank of England says it is not in receipt of it and the bank in Monaco says it returned it,' he said to the camera. 'I've got an agent who is screaming at the bank wanting her commission, I've got the seller who has another an offer with someone who doesn't need bank funding. I've got three people who are very unhappy.' After finding the lost money, Guy and his team began ripping the apartment to shreds but an hour into starting the work, he received a noise complaint which was then followed up by a visit from the local authority. 'The previous owner had got permission [to do the work] but since we became the owner as of 4pm last night, that permission has now expired,' the father-of-four explained. 'Nobody explained this to me and I am beside myself now because new permission could take months or certainly weeks.' The builders then put down their tools and were only allowed to pick them up three weeks later, when the work was finally put in Guy's name. The team took sledgehammers to break down walls in a bid to create a larger kitchen and bedroom space. No expense will be spared, as Guy and Alex are splashing out on a fancy lighting system controlled remotely in the house, a climate control system to keep the apartment at perfect temperature and a living wall effect to bring some greenery to the large terrace.
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
TODAY'S TV WITH SARA WALLIS: Middle-aged brothers hope to reconnect as Race Across the World returns
Prepare to head to China from the comfort of your sofa tonight as Race Across the World returns for a new series on BBC One. From a divorced couple setting off on an adventure to two 60-year-old brothers hoping to reconnect, five pairings will be racing from the Great Wall of China to the southernmost tip of India as this hit reality series kicks off. Elsewhere, BBC Two's Hannah Fry is looking into the tech behind smart doorbells and the origins behind these front door staples in Doorbell: The Secret Genius of Modern Life. Meanwhile, Channel 4 follows property guru Guy Phoenix as he flogs Monaco's luxury listings in a new property series. With lots to get stuck into, here are the top telly picks from Emma Bullimore - who is filling in for Sara Baalla. Top Pick Race Across the World, BBC1, 9pm Stuff a sleeping bag in your oversized rucksack, it's time for another adventure. After a recent celebrity version, we're back to the civilian series, and five teams of two will be navigating their way from the Great Wall of China to the southernmost tip of India. Miles from cosmopolitan Beijing, the language barrier is an immediate challenge for the explorers, who have just £1000 to spend on transport, accommodation and food for the entire trip. Confident sisters Elizabeth and Letitia are quick out of the blocks, but teen couple Fin and Sioned find themselves going round and round in circles, trying to find a bus stop. Meanwhile, 60-year old Caroline is hoping the expedition will be her chance to prove she is more than a housewife, and she's relying on her son Tom, an experienced traveller, to lead the way. They're up against 60-something brothers Brian and Melvyn, who live very different lives and haven't spent any extended time together since childhood. They hope they'll find some common ground again on their travels. Lastly, Yin and Gaz, who have been in each other's lives for decades as business partners and spouses, hope that their strong bond will get them to the finish line first. The first checkpoint on their 14,000km journey is Huangling village, and the teams can choose to board the high-speed trains down the coast, or take the scenic route through the countryside. Whichever direction they go in, emotions will quickly bubble over as tiredness, homesickness and overwhelm soon set in. The best of the rest... Doorbell: The Secret Genius of Modern Life, BBC2, 8pm Whether they're installed for home security, or just to talk to the postman as you're running down the stairs, smart doorbells are everywhere. Hannah Fry is investigating the technology inside the casing, revealing just how clever these mini tech marvels really are. She meets Ring doorbell inventor, Jamie Siminoff, who made the first prototype in his garage after missing one too many deliveries. When his wife pointed out that the 'doorbot' made her feel safer in their home, he realised he was onto something, and took his product onto Shark Tank (the US version of Dragon's Den). While nobody invested, the publicity alone was enough to launch the business, leading Jamie to eventually sell his product to Amazon for one billion dollars. Hannah examines how the sophisticated camera gives such a clear image despite changes in weather (and visits from spiders!), and how the device's origins lie in Soviet spy tech. Building Monaco's Superhomes, Channel 4, 10pm Property renovation guru Guy Phoenix is hoping to cash in on the super-rich residents of glamorous Monaco for his latest project. After purchasing a fixer-upper two bed flat for a mere £16 million, he's gutting the inside, installing the biggest kitchen in the neighbourhood and creating a luxury bathroom, which he hopes will boost the value to £22million. You can certainly see the appeal of this apartment with a stunning view over the bay, but this project won't be easy. For a start, Guy doesn't speak any French, which is causing problems with his suppliers. Then there are Monaco's strict building laws, which mean his team can't make any construction noise before 9am, nor can it last for more than six hours without the neighbours banging on the door. Guy is paying thousands of pounds every day on loan interest, materials and labour, so speed is of the essence. Emmerdale, ITV, 7.30pm Sarah is furious about Kammy's dirt bike race. She tells him their relationship is over if he goes ahead with it, but he and Jacob are determined to see it through. Billy tries to make amends with Ross, and then takes flowers to Dawn. But his apology isn't enough, and Billy and Dawn realise they need to talk to the kids about their divorce. As Billy comes to terms with living apart from his children, Kim offers him a place to stay. Coronation Street, ITV, 8pm Theo leaves the factory in a rage, telling Todd to stay away from him. Meanwhile, Danielle wants answers from Sarah, who is fed up of playing piggy in the middle. Sarah tells Kit about her history with Todd. Lauren is relieved to hear that Frankie will soon be discharged from hospital, but she feels sick when a nurse brings over a parcel with a prison stamp on the label. Brian declares his love for Julie, but how will she react? EastEnders, BBC1, 7.30pm Phil is worried for Nigel as he searches for him round the Square. Eventually he enlists Linda's help and they track him down, but bringing him home isn't straight forward. Linda tries to keep Phil calm as they persuade Nigel back indoors. Nigel gets emotional during a heart to heart. He tells Phil he just can't face the thought of staying alive and allowing his dementia to worsen. Yolande inspires Phil to come up with a new plan.
