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Wales Online
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Homes Under The Hammer's Welsh host spots 'alarming' detail in 'bargain' property
BBC Homes Under The Hammer's Welsh host spots 'alarming' detail in 'bargain' property Homes Under The Hammer presenter Owain Wyn Evans was on hand to offer his expert advice to viewers as he took a tour of a property in Wolverhampton and was 'alarmed' by a rogue detail Homes Under The Hammer presenter Owain Wyn Evans had travelled to Wolverhampton to inspect a property heading for auction with a bargain guide price of approximately £19,000 to £24,000. The Welsh television personality, who possesses considerable property expertise, found himself hard-pressed to identify problems with this "bargain" dwelling during the repeat episode aired on BBC One on Monday, August 11. As he toured the terraced house, which enjoyed convenient access to local facilities, Owain praised the property for its generous and roomy spaces and was pleasantly surprised to discover a fairly recent boiler alongside a bathroom suite in reasonable condition. Beyond requiring fresh paint and complete carpet replacement, Owain was astounded by the relatively modest renovation project facing prospective purchasers. Nevertheless, during his inspection, he did encounter two significant concerns that could prove expensive to address. Owain spotted two dangerous details Martin Roberts delivers devastating blow to Homes Under The Hammer buyers after grim discovery READ MORE: The property featured a side passage and outbuilding, both sporting dubious roofing. Owain questioned whether specialist asbestos contractors would need to tackle both roof structures. A further hazardous problem within the house was an unauthorised electrical connection he discovered in the smaller second bedroom, reports Birmingham Live. The questionable cable had been routed into the upstairs room from outside the property and featured an attached plug. Owain identified this electrical hazard positioned beside the radiator beneath the main window. Owain was concerned about the roof tops Owain exclaimed: "Ohh, now look at that plug," before continuing: "If there's one thing that sets off warning signals for me, it's a stray cable protruding from a wall with a plug on the end of it." He went on to caution: "Of course, you don't want to plug that in and switch it on, get that checked out and see exactly what it is." Despite these concerns, property developer Asin managed to secure the house for £125,000 at auction. Owain was also concerned about a dodgy looking plug Speaking to cameras alongside his father-in-law Saline, he remarked: "Very pleased to be fair, quite a good purchase, I reckon. We've done quite well." Asin predicted the renovation would require just four to five weeks with his father-in-law Seline serving as head builder on the scheme, supported by his crews. The pair had a substantial £35,000 budget available and it became a family enterprise with their spouses also taking on crucial responsibilities including legal documentation and administrative tasks. The family hoped to incorporate the property into their existing rental collection in the locality and had no intention of selling. Asin purchased the property at auction for £125,000 (Image: BBC) Seline and his crew grafted tirelessly to renovate the property to an excellent standard and crucially within the five-week deadline. Delighted with the result, Asin declared: "We did quite well, it was done within five weeks and we brought it all in at about £22,500, mainly due to the contingency being set as the house was already in good condition and no major upsets were found." Not only did they complete the project punctually, but they also managed to come in significantly under budget. An estate agent has verified that they could put the property on the market for a substantial £180,000 – which would equate to a pre-tax profit of nearly £33,000. Asin and his family, however, were inclined to include the property in their rental portfolio. The estate agent projected that they could charge a monthly rent in the range of £900-£1000. Yet Asin revealed they were set to receive even more than that estimate. He declared: "We put it up for £1100 and I think we've got it." Article continues below Homes Under The Hammer airs weekdays on BBC One
Leader Live
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
The search is on for the fourth Wales' Home of the Year
Welsh TV favourite and Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans returns alongside interior de-signer Mandy Watkins from Anglesey and Cardiff-based architectural designer Glen Thomas. Together, they'll be touring every corner of the country in search of beautifully designed, cleverly thought-out and characterful homes that truly reflect the people who live in them. (Image: Channel 4) From terraces to townhouses, converted barns to bold new builds, the series will once again celebrate the creativity, individuality and warmth that turns a house into a home. Each week, the judges will visit three homes within a region of Wales, scoring them on architectural merit, distinctive design, and original style. Regional winners will go through to the grand final, where one standout property will be crowned the next Wales' Home of the Year. A spokesman for the show said: "This year, we're especially keen to reflect the full diversity of Wales; its people, landscapes, and homes. Whether your house is traditional or modern, big or small, in the city, countryside or somewhere in between. Wales is full of personality, we want to see it. "And remember, homes don't need to be award-winning architectural masterpieces to take part. We're looking for real homes, of all shapes and styles, that tell a story and represent the people who live in them." Last year, a stunning detached 1930s build in Wrexham blew the judges away. Lyndon House received high scores from the judges who loved the property's natural colours. Produced by IWC Media (a Banijay UK company), filming begins this August, and the six-part series will air on BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer later this year. Owain Wyn Evans said: 'Here we go again cariads! I'm absolutely buzzing to be back for series 4, I can't wait to explore even more gorgeous Welsh homes. From rooms that make you go 'wow!' to clever, cosy layouts — Wales Home of the Year never ceases to amaze and impress!' Mandy Watkins said: 'I'm so excited to be back on the hunt for another Home of the Year. I'll be looking for individuality, clever use of space, and those extra special touches that tell a story.' Glen Thomas added: 'I love seeing how people in Wales transform the everyday into something unique, personal and exciting. From period homes right the way through to cutting-edge contemporary designs - I can't wait to see what this next series has in store!' Whether you live in a flat, cottage, farmhouse, or something totally unexpected — if you're passionate about your home, they want to hear from you! Applications are open now and close July 18. To apply, email waleshomes@ or send us a DM via Instagram @waleshomeoftheyear. Please include: Your contact details A short description of your home and style A selection of interior and exterior photo
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Coachella costs Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins thousands by insisting he change name of his tiny Welsh pop festival 'Cowchella'
Coachella organisers are thought to have cost Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins thousands of pounds after forcing his tiny Welsh festival into a name change. The 49-year-old had been happily organising his 'Cowchella' festival in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, when the 250,000-capacity music venue got in touch. The event's social media pages went down last week, and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name disappear amid a complaint which Watkins said was from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in California. On Sunday, new social media accounts were set up for the renamed Moo-La-La Festival, hosted by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2 radio presenter Owain Wyn Evans. The post explained the 'fab new name' and that tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August. Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, said they thought at first the social media sites were 'hacked', before finding an email with an 'official complaint from Coachella'. 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel like that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine,' Watkins said. 'It's a little bit mindblowing... what we're doing is very, very different to what they do. 'We don't have Beyonce performing. We have a Steps tribute act... and also, they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, hosting, which in my book, is much better than Beyonce.' He also said he was happy the small Welsh festival is a 'talking point' and people 'love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map' as well as admitting that 'luckily, it wasn't like, the week before because that would be the disaster'. Watkins did acknowledge that thousands of pounds spent on 'marketing costs, posters and banners' would be 'a financial impact that we have to absorb'. He said: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. 'So yes, those will have to go in the bin... but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' He also said that 'there's lots of festivals' that use this concept including the Welsh event GlastonBarry, with a name inspired by Glastonbury in Somerset, which has not appeared to come up against the same issue. Top performers from across the music scene have participated in Coachella, including the likes of Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion and Grimes. Watkins said the idea of the festival formerly known as Cowchella was to 'make it accessible for families that can't afford to go to Cardiff or London' for music events that can cost hundreds of pounds. 'We wanted... to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible,' he said. He said the festival will remain the same, despite the name change, and promised 'great food, great drink' on Saturday, August 2 at Bear Field. Watkins also said 'the number one tribute acts in the country' such as Harry Styled UK, Got to be Taylor Swift, Got to be Steps, Got to be Mamma Mia and Wickedly Hariana would perform. 'Our town is so beautiful, but there's so much untapped potential there, which is why we keep creating events (such as Pride),' he said. 'We do the panto in town, so many amazing things. I decorate the town hall for armistice. I do a lot in the town just to bring a lot of joy, and it's a town that should be celebrated, and that's what Moo-La-La, as it's now called, will be.' Watkins rose to fame in the the dance-pop group, Steps, and has appeared on ITV show Dancing On Ice as well as mystery Dial M For Middlesbrough. His group celebrated 20 years since their formation with a comeback album and UK tour in 2017 and in 2022 they released a Platinum Collection album.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Coachella forces Welsh festival Cowchella to change name
Steps star Ian "H" Watkins has said it is "mindblowing" that Coachella has forced his small Welsh festival to change its media accounts for Cowchella in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, went down and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name disappear amid a complaint which Watkins said was from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in Sunday, new social media accounts were set up for the renamed Moo-La-La Festival, hosted by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn post explained the "fab new name" and said tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August. Coachella has been asked to comment. Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, told the PA news agency he was taking the official complaint as "a massive compliment that they feel like our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine"."It's a little bit mind blowing... what we're doing is very different to what they do," he added. He also said people "love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map".Watkins admitted that thousands of pounds spent on "marketing costs, posters and banners" would be "a financial impact that we have to absorb".He added: "We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town."So yes, those will have to go in the bin... but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door." He also said there were "lots of festivals" that use wordplay, including GlastonBarry, that had not appeared to encounter the same said the idea of Moo-La-La was to "make it accessible for families that can't afford to go to Cardiff or London" for events that can cost hundreds of pounds."We wanted... to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible," he said.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘Mindblowing' Coachella forces Welsh festival to change name
Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins has said it is 'mindblowing' that Coachella has forced his small Welsh festival into a name change. The social media accounts for Cowchella in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales went down, and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name disappear amid a complaint which Watkins said was from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in California. On Sunday, new social media accounts were set up for the renamed Moo-La-La Festival, hosted by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2 radio presenter Owain Wyn Evans. The post explained the 'fab new name' and that tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August. Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, told the PA news agency that they thought at first the social media sites were 'hacked', before finding an email with an 'official complaint from Coachella'. 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel like that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine,' Watkins said. 'It's a little bit mindblowing… what we're doing is very, very different to what they do. 'We don't have Beyonce performing. We have a Steps tribute act… and also, they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, hosting, which in my book, is much better than Beyonce.' He also said he was happy the small Welsh festival is a 'talking point' and people 'love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map' as well as admitting that 'luckily, it wasn't like, the week before because that would be the disaster'. Watkins did acknowledge that thousands of pounds spent on 'marketing costs, posters and banners' would be 'a financial impact that we have to absorb'. He said: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. 'So yes, those will have to go in the bin… but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' He also said that 'there's lots of festivals' that use this concept including the Welsh event GlastonBarry, with a name inspired by Glastonbury in Somerset, which has not appeared to come up against the same issue. Watkins said the idea of the festival formerly known as Cowchella was to 'make it accessible for families that can't afford to go to Cardiff or London' for music events that can cost hundreds of pounds. 'We wanted… to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible,' he said. He said the festival will remain the same, despite the name change, and promised 'great food, great drink' on Saturday, August 2 at Bear Field. Watkins also highlighted 'the number one tribute acts in the country' such as Harry Styled UK, Got to be Taylor Swift, Got to be Steps, Got to be Mamma Mia and Wickedly Hariana would perform. 'Our town is so beautiful, but there's so much untapped potential there, which is why we keep creating events (such as Pride),' he said. 'We do the panto in town, so many amazing things. I decorate the town hall for armistice. I do a lot in the town just to bring a lot of joy, and it's a town that should be celebrated, and that's what Moo-La-La, as it's now called, will be.' Watkins rose to fame in the the dance-pop group, Steps, and has appeared on ITV show Dancing On Ice as well as mystery Dial M For Middlesbrough. His group celebrated 20 years since their formation with a comeback album and UK tour in 2017 and in 2022 they released a Platinum Collection album.
