- 20 minutes ago
- #celebrity
- #realityinsighthub
Celebrity Escape to the Country Season 3 Episode 3
#Celebrity Escape to the Country
#RealityInsightHub
🎞 Please subscribe to our official channel to watch the full movie for free, as soon as possible. ❤️Reality Insight Hub❤️
👉 Official Channel: />👉 THANK YOU ⭐❤️❤️❤️⭐
#Celebrity Escape to the Country
#RealityInsightHub
🎞 Please subscribe to our official channel to watch the full movie for free, as soon as possible. ❤️Reality Insight Hub❤️
👉 Official Channel: />👉 THANK YOU ⭐❤️❤️❤️⭐
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00I don't like seeing the neighbours. I hate the worktop. I don't like the fence.
00:05Bodged. Yeah. An arbiter of style and taste. What is it? Feng Shui? Yeah. I don't believe
00:13in any of that. But can we make a believer out of her? It looks like a spaceship has landed.
00:20And find a property out of this world. Oh wow. I could see myself in this house by myself.
00:27I could see myself perfectly happy.
00:47Estate agents of the nation, brace yourselves and gird your loins because a broadcasting
00:53icon, fearless journalist and one of the nation's noisiest national treasures is escaping to
01:00the country. So please welcome a lady who really requires no introduction other than these three
01:08little awe-inspiring words, Janet Street Porter.
01:18Well I'm a complete Londoner. I was born in Fulham. My dad was an electrician and my mum was a school
01:27dinner lady. We didn't have a bathroom. We had an outside toilet and we were allowed to use the inside
01:36bathroom on Sunday afternoons between two and five. Now people might wonder why I turned out the way I did.
01:46From humble beginnings, Janet Street Porter has spent over five decades shaping British media. After cutting
01:53her teeth on Fleet Street, she revolutionised youth television as a producer and broadcaster.
02:00Now holding court on loose women and in print, she's still as opinionated, sharp and unmistakably
02:07Janet as ever, including when it comes to her home.
02:11When I'm in my house, I don't want to be overlooked. I don't want to hear neighbours. I don't want to hear
02:21screaming kids. I don't want to see a trampoline. If I could ban one thing, if I'm running Britain,
02:28trampoline's going to be banned. Thankfully, she's as sure about the things she loves as she is about the
02:35things she doesn't. I've lived by water since 1973. The repetitiveness of waves is very calming and I'm a
02:49very busy person. I've got loads on my mind all the time. I just find water. It just does it for me.
02:58Since studying architecture as a teen and designing her own home in the 1980s, curating her environment
03:06has always been important to Janet. And with an apartment in central London, she's now looking for a
03:11coastal hideaway in East Anglia for her and husband Peter. Keeping her in check is designer and art
03:19director Christopher, a Suffolk resident and Janet's longtime friend.
03:23She's got an extraordinary knack and ability for the creating spaces. And they have a very strong
03:31point of view. I mean, unsurprisingly with Janet, but she's got a very sure hand with her spaces.
03:38She's not remotely interested in an idea of good taste. It's very much her. It's a unique vision,
03:45very clearly articulated.
03:49I think you've got a real challenge finding me something. I think I've set you the impossible dream.
03:55Janet wants somewhere where I can be private, I can be silent, I won't get annoyed by neighbours,
04:06go walking, just be myself, without people coming up to me every bloody five minutes and saying,
04:15are you Janet Street Porter?
04:18So if you see Janet in the supermarket, you have been warned.
04:22When it comes to Janet's wants and needs for her escape into anonymity, there are just three
04:33things she insists on. Absolute peace, sweet isolation and an uninterrupted view of the sea.
04:41She's got up to one million pounds to spend and roughly zero tolerance for compromise.
04:46The UK has thousands and thousands of miles of spectacular coastline for Janet to escape to,
04:56but she wants to focus our search here in gorgeous Suffolk. But I'm going to let you into a little
05:03secret. Just because the search starts here doesn't mean that it's going to finish here. So watch this space.
05:09Set on England's east coast, Suffolk is close enough for the convenience of the capital,
05:17yet far enough away to enjoy fresh sea air and the solitude Janet craves.
05:24A detached home here averages around £439,000, just a touch above the national figure of £438,000.
05:34So you get all that charm without the London price tag.
05:39From the gentle beauty of constable country in the Dedham Vale to the medieval streets of its famous
05:47wool towns, much of Suffolk's quiet landscape has remained unchanged for centuries.
05:54But along its 50 miles of coastline, the traces of modern life are harder to miss.
06:00In Southwold's lively amusements and in Oldborough's bustle of galleries and cafes.
06:06And it's here that I'm meeting Janet and Christopher.
06:11Janet, thanks so much for doing this.
06:13It's a pleasure.
06:14I'm so excited to meet you too as well, Christopher. Thank you for keeping us company.
06:18See, I have nice friends.
06:19Nice friends with good taste, I hope.
06:21Yeah.
06:22I'm your emotional support animal, I think.
06:24Yeah, I give him a good kick in every now and then.
06:28Because many people, I guess, will know you from TV, but they might not know that you started in architecture.
06:32Yeah, I studied architecture.
06:34When I left grammar school, I got into the Architectural Association in London, a very prestigious college.
06:41I did two years at the EAA and then I got a job on a magazine and I immediately whisked up into journalism.
06:50And within a year, I was offered a job as a fashion editor and columnist, so...
06:56Fashion took you away from architecture.
06:58What a lot.
06:59Yeah, but not really, because I've always felt that architecture is one of the major loves of my life.
07:06Well, you had a beautiful house built, which has been listed, so you must have excellent taste.
07:12That's not what they thought at the time, though.
07:14I know they didn't.
07:14Let me point out that when I built my house, we had to go through every single protest group
07:23that could possibly have come up with some pitiful reason why my house couldn't be built in the city of, you know, in central London.
07:32And then what happens? 20 years down the line, it gets listed.
07:36You're a prophet.
07:38Christopher, I'm going to... You're not so very far away here.
07:41No, yeah.
07:42It's quite busy now, Suffolk. It's quite trendy. Lots of people live on the coast.
07:46Do you think we're going to find...
07:47There are still pockets of kind of complete solitude.
07:51It is quite isolated. It's not really on the way anywhere.
07:54Is Suffolk the only candidate?
07:56I'm going to be honest with you. Every week, I scale the property pages in the newspapers.
08:02I do look online. I look at Scotland a lot.
08:06Oh, yeah.
08:06I go to Scotland on holiday every year. I like fishing and walking.
08:11So that's something I would consider.
08:12Well, shall we crack on and see the first house?
08:15Yeah. Yeah, come on then. Follow me.
08:21Our search begins a few miles inland, surrounded by the rolling countryside outside the village of Levington.
08:26It's just a four-minute trot to the nearest pub and only a ten-minute drive to dip your toes in the sea at Felixstowe.
08:39Coastal views might be a little out of reach, but the property does overlook the nearby Orwell Estuary.
08:45In the surrounding open fields, wild deer are said to wander, and there's a calm over this peaceful landscape.
08:56Which is more that can be said for me right now.
09:01Obviously, it's a bit nerve-wracking showing you property because you're such a property mogul.
09:06I'm not a mogul, Alistair. I know what I like and don't like.
09:11So what do you think about this house? Here we are.
09:13I don't like seeing the neighbours.
09:15Yeah, we thought that might be a bone of contention.
09:18I'm kind of interested because bungalows have always been something I'd love to get my hands on and remodel.
09:25But this bungalow has been turned into a multi-storey dwelling. So we'd have to go inside and see how the spaces all flow together.
09:35Shall we do that?
09:36Yeah.
09:37Come on in.
09:39This detached home was originally single-storey and has since been extended to offer just under 2,000 square feet of accommodation.
09:49We're heading into the newest part of the property, which is sleek, bright and unapologetically modern.
09:56So a big open plan space, kitchen, acres of glass looking out.
10:02I like open plan. I like an island because you can put a lot of storage in it.
10:09It's a social hub, but at the same time, I've never wanted to eat on a stool under a counter, ever.
10:17I just want a kitchen table.
10:19You want a big kitchen table?
10:20Yeah, and also when I'm doing a house, I like to have old furniture and new furniture side by side.
10:27I don't like everything being of the same age.
10:31So let's just assume that whatever I'm going to show you, you're going to completely gut and start again.
10:36Yeah, but you have to see the actual space, the shape, the rectangular shape of the room, and then you've got this coming off it.
10:45It all flows through in one kind of rather bland, seamless, big room.
10:52I think we all expected Janet to have strong opinions, but personally, I think most people would love a layout like this.
10:59But as we know, Janet isn't most people.
11:02I wouldn't have a TV room per se, you know, never had a television in a bedroom.
11:08I've never had a television in the living room.
11:11I would put the television in a cosy room because you go to watch telly and you might watch it by yourself,
11:17or you might watch it with your partner and the dog and have a bit of a row about why we're watching this sh**
11:22and why you're watching reruns of Bottom yet again and where everything's been erased off the planner.
11:28So this is the opposite.
11:30So if you did have a space like this that is the living room, how would you arrange it? What is this?
11:34Oh, big sofas.
11:36I would make a grouping to enjoy the view, look out at the garden.
11:41If the fireplace works, I'd create a focal point around the fire, definitely.
11:48I don't think it should be both TV and fire. I think it needs to be one or the other.
11:52Yeah, I agree.
11:55Okay, we've done two rooms.
11:56How will the rest of downstairs fare?
12:00Oh my God, we've got the spooky glass wall.
12:03See, that disconcerts me enormously.
12:06Against my better judgement, I'm leaving Janet and Christopher to explore the remaining ground
12:11floor accommodation where there's three bedrooms.
12:15You have to put the bed like that and then you look out at the back.
12:19You're at the back of your outdoor kitchen a bit.
12:21Your tiki bar area.
12:22Yeah.
12:23I mean, I quite like these.
12:26Janet wasn't a fan, but I think it's quite nice.
12:28A little stool by the breakfast bar.
12:31I've never had a house tour like this.
12:33It's amazing.
12:34It's a, the house is really a backdrop to a lot of Janet's wonderful opinions about houses in general.
12:40But I think it's interesting what the house that Janet's looking for is about.
12:46What's the story?
12:47Because it's clearly not about big family spaces and modern sort of open plan.
12:53It's something cosy and probably a bit more remote than this.
12:57So, look, here's another bed in the corner.
13:04Oh.
13:05Oh, they've got two beds.
13:06Obviously, you'd have one.
13:08I'd always put the bed facing the door if possible.
13:11I think...
13:12I know there's all those kind of rules about, what is it, Feng Shui?
13:17Yeah.
13:17I don't believe in any of that.
13:20One thing you can say about this house, it's got all the modern touches.
13:24Oh, God, what's this?
13:26Which might be exactly the problem.
13:29What's that do?
13:30I can't.
13:35Before Janet presses the button which seals all the doors and turns out the lights,
13:39I'm steering her and Christopher towards the principal ensuite bedroom.
13:44And it has views.
13:46Oh, yeah, it does have great views.
13:47Oh, this is great.
13:49And a balcony.
13:51What do you think?
13:55I like the mixture of industrial and countryside.
14:00Yeah, you've got the Felixstowe container port over there.
14:04I can't tell whether you're struck down.
14:05I'm thinking it's a view, but it's a good view, but it's not a fabulous view.
14:13I'm quite clear in my head that when I see the right place, I'll go, wow.
14:18It'll be like reading a book or seeing a painting for the first time.
14:24You'll see it and you'll go, that's me.
14:29It may not have Janet's name on it, but there's a lot that sells this exquisite house,
14:34including the slick outside kitchen with built-in barbecue, the extra-large terrace,
14:40which extends onto the low-maintenance garden, and those good, although I personally think great, views.
14:50I don't need to be a property Sherlock to know that maybe this one is not for you,
14:53but for the record, how much do you think it's on the market for?
14:57Eight, four, nine.
14:58I think it might be a bit more.
15:00No.
15:00Eight, seventy.
15:02So this is on the market for, hold your horses, £960,000.
15:11For the right family, it's the right house, but maybe not for Janet.
15:15I don't want to come across as a curmudgeon or a nitpicker, but can I remind you of what I asked for?
15:21Sure.
15:22View of the sea, peace and quiet, yes, but something that I would find, you know, invigorating and would
15:30resonate with me. Give me something that I can remodel, that I can make mine, because this house,
15:37I couldn't turn it into Janet's house. It's just not possible.
15:41Well, we could give you a bit more sea. How about that?
15:45Yeah, you're being very cautious.
15:47Of course I'm cautious of you.
15:49You're sensing a knockback already. That's not good enough, Alistair.
15:55You've got to be a bit more competent with me.
15:56OK. Right, we're going to the sea, and you're going to love it.
15:59Great.
16:03Janet's very honest feedback has taught me that no amount of countryside views
16:08will make up for the inability to remodel the house to her own taste.
16:13Modern and ready to move into? Not on Janet's watch. Consider me firmly corrected.
16:19I guess people do think of you as very outspoken.
16:31People think that, I think the main thing is that if you're on television quite a lot,
16:35people feel related to you. And then they see you in the street, and they honestly think,
16:40quite often, you're a relative. And quite often people come up to me and say,
16:44hello, how are you? And I think, but you don't know me.
16:47Yeah. So your home has to be a real sanctuary from all of that, where you can completely relax.
16:52Yeah, absolutely. And also, I'll wear horrible clothes.
16:55I mean, the thing is, now I've got like, you know, the tracking Covid turned us into such
17:03slops. And it's quite hard to come back out of it. And wear non-elasticated waist trousers.
17:11So that's, you know, that's what happened. You don't wear a corset at home.
17:19Our next destination is in the historic coastal village of Thorpe Ness.
17:26Dreamt up by the Ogilvy family, the early 20th century Thorpe Ness,
17:31was designed as a seaside escape for the fortunate few.
17:35Today, all are welcome, with many stopping by for cosy cream teas,
17:39rounds of golf and relaxing on the boating lake.
17:45From the wild and windy Shingle Beach, it's only a 35-minute stroll to Oldborough's cafes and boutiques.
17:53The property we're visiting sits on a private road, raised up just enough to make the most of its good looks.
17:59Welcome into our second offering.
18:06It's very imposing. It's a nice, solid-looking house as well.
18:09Now, you wanted the sea.
18:10Yes.
18:11You couldn't get any closer to the sea unless you were in the sea.
18:13Yeah. I like the sound of the sea.
18:15Yeah.
18:15So I'm being drawn towards the building by the sound of the sea.
18:20Then let's skirt round the building and go straight to the sea.
18:23Let's do that.
18:24This detached, black-and-white beach house has been watching the waves since the 1920s.
18:32But will the view be up to Janet's exacting standards?
18:37Wow.
18:37Yeah.
18:38Great view.
18:41Thank goodness.
18:42Unimpeded horizon.
18:44Really like it.
18:45It would keep me happy.
18:47Yes, I can see another very ugly house over there.
18:51This house is a bit set back, so that's fine.
18:57This is your path down to the beach.
18:59There's some sleeper steps that take you to the beach.
19:01Okay.
19:01Okay.
19:02And we're facing east.
19:04The sun will rise over here.
19:05It's only got a compass.
19:06Right.
19:07Okay.
19:07So Nellie eats sour watermelon.
19:09So that's south, yeah.
19:10Yeah, so yes, you're right.
19:11It'll set on that side of the house.
19:13What was that Nellie thing?
19:14Nellie, Nellie eats sour watermelon.
19:18That's how you remember the points of the compass.
19:20My first Janet Street Porter eye-rolled.
19:23It's like getting a handshake from Paul Hollywood.
19:27Well...
19:28Is that a jacuzzi?
19:30Hello?
19:31What's under that rug?
19:33Would a jacuzzi be a good thing or a bad thing?
19:35No, it'd be a symbol of everything I hate.
19:38Let me see.
19:39Let's get inside before she vetoes anything else.
19:44So here we have the living space.
19:47How have they done on the focal point front?
19:49I think it works really well.
19:52Because if you own this house, you'd spend a lot of time in this room.
19:57It's the room with the view and because of the big expanse of glass,
20:00that is going to be as good as having the television on easily.
20:03Yeah.
20:04And it's nice that they've kind of retained some of the original features.
20:08I mean, this fireplace is a nice original fireplace.
20:10I like the fact there's no curtains.
20:12Yeah.
20:13I could work on this room.
20:14I mean, I could do something with it.
20:16What would you do?
20:17I'd probably lighten up the floor a bit to bring more light to the back of the room.
20:22Shall we continue the tour?
20:23So there's another dining room.
20:25It's all facing the sea.
20:27A beautiful big dining space.
20:29Yeah.
20:30Do you really need a separate dining room?
20:33I'd be probably using it as an office.
20:35Oh, even better.
20:36I'd be sitting on my computer staring at the sea.
20:40Dare I say it, it's going quite well.
20:43Next door to the dining room is the kitchen, which, much like the other rooms downstairs,
20:48overlooks the sea and there's no breakfast bar in sight.
20:53So here's the kitchen.
20:55You've got a utility room.
20:56Yeah.
20:56And a stove.
20:59Yeah.
21:00And at the end of the kitchen, you've got this, I think, quite unique feature
21:04where you can open up all the windows, so it's become sort of outside inside.
21:07What do you think of the kitchen?
21:08Yeah.
21:08No, it's good.
21:10Good.
21:10Wow.
21:12But I'm starting to realise with Janet, there's always a but.
21:17You have the hot, boiling hot pan.
21:19You've got a pan on here.
21:22You've lifted it off.
21:23That lid's down.
21:24Where do you go?
21:25So I haven't integrated it into the kitchen this way or that way.
21:31There's a gap and you've got to, I think it, it's difficult.
21:34But you can shoot, you could extend the worktop and shoot it.
21:37Yeah, I did it.
21:37It looks so, um, bodged.
21:40So what I'm noticing is that you are talking a lot about this house.
21:44You're looking at things, which wasn't the case in the first house.
21:48Does that mean that this kind of...
21:50It's inching towards being acceptable, but it still feels hemmed in at the sides,
21:56because look, yeah, you have got the stockade.
22:01The view is incredible.
22:02And there's some really nice details as well.
22:03Yeah.
22:04Even the sort of cabinetry is nicely detailed and the ironwork and the pulls and...
22:09Yeah, it's done, it's done, uh, to a high standard.
22:12I'm going to let you explore upstairs and, uh, when you're done, let me know.
22:15Yeah.
22:15Or you could check out the utility room, also.
22:20They're very thorough.
22:23These don't feel right, though.
22:25See, these tiles feel like that.
22:27They're on a hollow floor.
22:29They've been placed on a woodblock floor.
22:31Yeah.
22:32On boards.
22:34Got a nice sink.
22:37Four double bedrooms await Janet and Christopher upstairs.
22:41The family bathroom is ready for a refresh,
22:44whilst the principal has the benefit of its own en suite.
22:47Okay.
22:50Well, this is good.
22:51You can lie in the bath and look out and see.
22:54Very nice.
22:54I would get rid of these built-in cupboards.
22:58All they are is boxes to put things in out of sight.
23:02And never find it again.
23:03So they don't add any plus to the room, to the character of the room.
23:07Would you put the fireplace back in, do you think?
23:09Maybe.
23:12I'd stress out about how near to the end of the bed the fire was, probably.
23:16Anyway, the dog would lie in front of it and block it.
23:18It's very striking.
23:21In this house, there's a lot of tapping the wall, looking at the floor, checking the windows.
23:28There's an engagement with the property that was completely absent this morning.
23:32And although Janet's never going to be the gushy type,
23:35I do feel that there are some sterling qualities about this property that she likes.
23:40Another bedroom, right.
23:45I think there's quite an argument in this house for knocking these two rooms back into one,
23:51so that you've got one really lovely big second bedroom for guests,
23:57and then you've got another room that could be an office or a study or whatever.
24:05And I like the idea of having the balcony, that's great.
24:10I mean, it's fantastic.
24:12But if you're not through, you'd have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office.
24:16Yeah, that's great.
24:17Which is what you need. And then downstairs is more open plan.
24:19Yeah.
24:21Aha! When they start redrawing the floor plan, you know it's serious.
24:25Maybe Janet is starting to imagine her new life here.
24:29Do you think it's not secluded enough still?
24:32It's definitely not secluded.
24:34It's going on its own on the end of the beach.
24:35I feel that the people on either side will want me to come in for cocktails.
24:41But they probably will.
24:42I can't do that!
24:45Okay, so cocktail arrows are no, but how about something a little more their style?
24:51A quick game, perhaps?
24:53So I'm going to take advantage of the fact that we've got two trendsetters in the world of property
24:57and interiors with us today. And I'm going to check what is in and what is out with interior design
25:06objects from all sorts of eras. Um, and the choice that Christopher and Janet have to make is
25:14fab, travel.
25:19Okay, so we're going to start with a good one, I think, for this lacal, which are horse brasses.
25:23So a very traditional thing that we see often mounted on leather by fireplaces.
25:30Ah, interesting.
25:32I'm going to say fab because I'm seeing a black room with maybe 400 of them pins to the wall.
25:38Oh, he's designing a chill-out room in a hip pub or something.
25:43Yeah.
25:43I'm thinking if I walked into a house and they had those there, I'd just turn around and walk out.
25:48Yeah.
25:50No, no, really, Janet, don't hold back.
25:51Okay, so this is a standard classic.
25:56Double drab.
25:57Double drab.
25:58Double drab.
25:58There's no place for that.
25:59No place.
26:00And there never will be.
26:01What about in a bright colour?
26:04If it was done by a famous British artist and worth a lot of money.
26:08Double drab.
26:08Double drab.
26:09Sorry.
26:11Fake fruit, fake flowers.
26:14Why would you have a fake lemon when real lemons are lovely?
26:18Well, because they don't rot.
26:20I do see it a lot.
26:21It is.
26:22Why don't you go through these houses and just purge?
26:25The glug jug.
26:28Difficult.
26:29Tricky.
26:29Oh.
26:30I'm going to say both.
26:31Fab drab.
26:32Fab drab.
26:33What about you, Janet?
26:34I can't be bothered with it.
26:37Do you know what I mean?
26:38One last go before I lose their goodwill entirely.
26:42Pithy wisdom painted on a sign in the kitchen.
26:46It's okay if you disagree with me.
26:47I can't force you to be right.
26:49I don't understand it.
26:51Basically that you're right.
26:53Well, I know I'm right.
26:54I'm taking that's a drab.
26:56Drab doesn't really cut it, does it?
26:57Drab, it's disgusting.
26:59It's beyond drab.
27:00I would never bother with the slogan in my house, because anyone who comes around knows
27:05it's my way or the wrong way.
27:13Turning our attention back to the house, there's plenty that's fab about its setting.
27:19The lawned front garden is neatly manicured, whilst out the back the extensive timber deck
27:25is good for big get-togethers or solitary moments of reflection.
27:30So we see inside the house, what do you think the price tag on this one is?
27:39Hard to tell, but I'd guess 890,000 they'd be asking.
27:44890,000?
27:46I'm going to say 1.1.
27:481.1 million?
27:49Yeah.
27:50Well, I think that's hopelessly optimistic, because in the financial climate we're in,
27:56I find that hard to believe that they'll be able to shift this house for that moment.
28:00But it's on at 895,000 pounds.
28:03Well, I was going to say 895.
28:07Every room frames a view of the sea in this four-bedroom detached beach house,
28:11giving it instant appeal.
28:13And at 895,000, there's scope for Janet to make it her own.
28:18The question is, can she live with company this close by?
28:27With our property tours wrapped for the day, it's only right we head to the beach
28:32for a quick debrief before the sun goes down.
28:36Well, Janet, how do you think we've done today?
28:38Well, I think you've done pretty well.
28:42I'd say B minus, you know, B.
28:47But the bottom line is neither house offer me solitude.
28:52They offer me the sound of the sea.
28:54And seagulls.
28:55Seagulls.
28:56Yeah, but I think you've failed.
28:58What we're struggling with is there's not enough isolation.
29:01There certainly isn't.
29:02I think we're going to have to go further afield.
29:05You mentioned Scotland.
29:06Yeah.
29:06How do you feel about Scotland?
29:07Thrilled.
29:08Come up with somewhere.
29:10There's your challenge.
29:11OK, you gave me a challenge.
29:13I'm going to rise to it.
29:14Bring it on.
29:15Scotland, here we come.
29:18With a name like Alistair Appleton, I'm always aiming for straight A's.
29:22So, next stop, Scotland.
29:37We're taking a 500-mile leap of faith to the Hebridean island scattered off Scotland's west coast.
29:44A diverse chain of interconnected isles, the Hebrides are divided into two distinct groups, defined by how far they lie from the mainland.
29:57The furthest out to sea are the outer Hebrides, a wilder, a wilder, more remote stretch running for over 130 miles and home to Lewis and Harris.
30:08Closer in lie the inner Hebrides, a little bit more connected, yet every bit as captivating.
30:18Made up of 35 inhabited isles, Skye is the largest and best known.
30:24Together, they form one of Scotland's most distinctive regions, breathtakingly beautiful and wonderfully remote.
30:34So, which Hebridean gem are we heading for?
30:38Welcome to Islay. Isn't it beautiful?
30:44And only 3,000 people are lucky enough to call this island home, which equates to five people per square kilometre, compared to 200 people per square kilometre in Suffolk.
30:56And as for coastline, well, Islay has 130 miles of the salty stuff.
31:01Lying at the southern tip of the inner Hebrides, Islay is celebrated for its rugged beaches, abundant wildlife and world-famous whiskies.
31:15It forms part of the Unitary Council area of Argyle and Bute, where buyers can expect to pay around £315,000 for a detached home, 28% lower than an equivalent property in Suffolk.
31:29Nine distilleries craft Islay's signature peaty single malts, many named after the island's landmarks, from Bermore, the capital, to Macha Bay, a sweeping beach on the west coast.
31:44The village of Portnehaven doesn't have a whisky named after it, but we got some really nice shots of seals here, so thought it was worth a mention.
31:53We've arrived in the harbour town of Port Ellen, which, thanks to the ferry terminal, is the first glimpse many visitors have of life here.
32:03I promised you Scotland, here it is, in all its wondrously windswept glory.
32:08Yeah, it's just the kind of weather I like.
32:10Is it?
32:11Yeah, loads of cloud. We'll probably get five different weathers today and that'll be fine. It's good.
32:17And we can have a bit of isolation here.
32:18Yeah, once we get out of this town, yes.
32:22There are not many towns, to be fair. We had to start somewhere. Christopher, are you a fan of Scotland?
32:27I love it. I like this weather. I think it's, they call it dreek weather, don't they?
32:30Yeah.
32:31I think this is actually officially balmy. Dreek is when it starts raining.
32:34Oh, right.
32:35Yeah, that could happen in the next ten minutes.
32:38Have you been to Islay before?
32:39No, I haven't been to Islay. I've filmed on some of the Scottish islands before. I went to Stornoway a couple of years ago.
32:48Oh, beautiful.
32:48I rented a house on Ali and Shona. So this is exciting for me, very exciting.
32:54Do you know, Christopher, have you been to Islay?
32:56Not to Islay, I've been to Tyree, which I'm hoping this is similarly beautiful. It looks like it is.
33:02I've never been, Escape has never been, so this is a first for all of us.
33:05And we've got houses. Yeah. Plural.
33:09Houses? Plural.
33:11Oh, it is exciting.
33:13Shall we go and see one of them? Yeah.
33:19Our first stop on Islay is seven miles south of Port Ellen on the windswept cliffs of the O Peninsula.
33:28Protected within an RSPB nature reserve, this distinctive corner of the island
33:33climbs to over 200 metres above sea level at its highest point.
33:39The property we're here to see is over a kilometre from its nearest neighbour
33:44and is the most southerly inhabited house in the whole of the Western Isles.
33:49Janet, you wanted remote. Is this remote enough?
33:54It's got everything that I like about the approach to a house.
33:58You drive through absolutely arid, nothing happening countryside with fabulous views.
34:05You pass that and you end up here.
34:08Amazing, right?
34:09It's perfect.
34:09It's so beautiful. And of course you've got the lovely cows.
34:14I love a Highland cow.
34:15If I was to live here, the cows wouldn't be an issue.
34:18And they've got big horns, these ones.
34:21Nothing to me.
34:22Christopher, what do you think of the location?
34:24It's spectacularly beautiful.
34:25I love the remoteness and I like the...
34:28And lots of the end seems quite flat and then suddenly at this end it gets all so crinkly.
34:31Yeah, yeah, yeah.
34:32It's beautiful, really beautiful.
34:34I mean, the thing about these houses in such exposed places is they generally are pebbledash,
34:40which is a bit of a, you know, you've got to get past that because I don't particularly like pebbledash,
34:46but it's okay. It looks like it's reasonably well maintained.
34:50I like the fact the windows are all painted dark.
34:53It looks like it's been built for weather.
34:55Yeah.
34:55Yeah, it looks solid.
34:57Let's go and investigate.
34:58Shall we have a look?
34:58Yeah.
34:59Come, come.
34:59Thought to have been built in the late Victorian era, this detached farmhouse is typical of many on Islay.
35:10Inside, the porch makes for a handy keeper of wellies and waterproofs and leads into the welcoming hall.
35:17Lovely stone floors and very spacious feel to it.
35:23This is the main sitting space.
35:26Very nice high ceiling, yeah.
35:27Gorgeous. And the view's just there, isn't it? It's fantastic.
35:32What are your thoughts, Janet?
35:33Well, it's a lovely proportioned room. It's clearly been looked after by someone who's got good taste.
35:41So it's a very pleasing room to be in, just the way that it is. You've got a view from every window.
35:50Yeah, it's an impressive room.
35:52And what's also nice is because often in Victorian houses, the kitchens were stuck at the back where the servants were.
35:57But here they put it at the front, so it's also got lots of light.
36:00Here's the kitchen, which is, oh, I love it. It's a real old country kitchen.
36:09This is great.
36:10Again, it's good to have such a light kitchen.
36:14Because my main beef about kitchens is a lack of light. That's fabulous.
36:20Down the back you've got a kind of walk-in pantry, but you've also got this gigantic utility room at the back of the house, which is really lovely.
36:28So this is more of like a social kitchen. This is actually where you would eat.
36:31This is good. Yeah, it's a good-sized kitchen to eat in.
36:35It's interesting, Janet, when you, I think you quite like this, you're much more subdued than when you don't like something where there's a little more animation.
36:42Yeah, well, because it happens to kind of resonate with me.
36:45It's got character and it's decorated in a characterful way. So that's good. I'm fine with that.
36:52Yeah. Janet is clearly seeing the potential of this property, and I'm delighted.
36:59Downstairs, there's a small study. However, I'm imagining Janet would prefer to write in a room with a view, like the conservatory, perhaps, which they're checking out by themselves.
37:11I mean, the position of this is fantastic. I'd take this off and start again.
37:15You think it's too hideous? It just feels a little bit like...
37:17Oh, now you've been a bit of a snob about the fattest plastic window.
37:21It feels a bit like those places where people were kind of wheeled out to take the sunshine on.
37:26Yeah, it's an old people's sun lounge.
37:28Yeah.
37:29I'm an old person now. I'm fine in the plus side of this structure.
37:32Well, maybe this is ideal for you.
37:36Upstairs, there are four double bedrooms. For her principal, Janet can choose between the largest room or a slightly smaller one that comes with an en-suite shower.
37:47So let's go in this bedroom.
37:49Ooh, is this the master, do you think?
37:51I don't know. It smells damp.
37:53I think this feels really nice.
37:55Yeah.
37:55Really nice.
37:56You're just drawn to the view.
37:58I do like these deep window returns, so it feels like you're sort of protected a bit from the...
38:04Wind.
38:05It feels so cosy.
38:06Yeah.
38:07A family bathroom more than does the job, but it could be a great little project. Unless, of course, she's eyeing up a bigger challenge in the remaining two bedrooms.
38:18It's a single bed.
38:19It's a single bed.
38:20I quite like this. I would sleep here. A little monastic cell.
38:24I hate single beds. A decent-sized room, but they've obviously cut it into it to make a bathroom or another room.
38:32But maybe you could use, maybe there's a way of changing there to use this in a different way.
38:36Yeah, okay. Let's have a look at the other room.
38:38All right. Immediately, you take that wall out. Just no question. You want a bedroom with front and back aspects, so that's it. Full stop.
38:49It's such a contrast to the houses in Suffolk, where there's a lot of commentary but not much engagement.
38:54Here, I can hear Christopher and Janet really kind of thinking about what they would do, what they would get rid of, what they would change.
39:01That's good engagement.
39:03Oh, yeah. Share room. All right.
39:05It's a bit like a TARDIS.
39:06Well, that's perfectly okay.
39:08And I wonder where that is. Is that the house, which I think is just tremendous? Is it the location? Is it the combination of both?
39:18It is hard to imagine a better setting, but beyond the views, there's also opportunity.
39:23Three substantial barns lie in the grounds, two of which are empty. One is used for storage.
39:29But there's tons of this, Luke. Plenty of scope for...
39:36Okay. Oh, I love the corrugated roof.
39:40Oh, my God.
39:41Oh, how fabulous. Look at this.
39:44This is amazing.
39:45Treasure trove.
39:46This is fantastic. And it goes around in a sort of quadrangle.
39:50Right, so you've got a full set of outbuildings with leaky roofs.
39:54You could put all of your guests in these.
39:55And then you could have the top floor of the thing undisturbed.
39:59Well, it's made me think.
40:00No, I would not make this space into anything more than a fabulous space perhaps to work in.
40:09But this is a big, costly project.
40:11Yeah, I don't know what you'd do with this.
40:13It's a bit of a folly, let's be honest.
40:15It's a good folly, though. It's a nice folly.
40:17On a plot of just under an acre, the farmhouse enjoys a south-east-facing garden,
40:24overlooking the surrounding RSPB nature reserve and the cliffs beyond.
40:30It's a view that stops you in your tracks.
40:32But has the house had the same effect on Janet and Christopher?
40:39You were away for ages. That's a good sign.
40:41Yeah.
40:42How did you find the outbuildings? They were quite exciting.
40:45Yeah, we were just indulging our fantasies, really.
40:49Is it a money pit, you know?
40:50But it doesn't have to be done at once.
40:52I mean, it's a project that there's a lot of outbuilding.
40:56Yeah, but at my age, I wouldn't be hanging about.
40:59I'd be doing it straight off.
41:01So I guess you need to know how much it costs.
41:04Yeah.
41:04What do you think the price is of this one?
41:07Low £300,000, £330,000.
41:10£340,000?
41:11So £340,000.
41:12£340,000. What do you think, Christopher?
41:14I will say £320,000.
41:17Ah, even lower.
41:19OK, so this, you may be surprised to know,
41:21is on the market for offers over £550,000.
41:28Your market research has failed you.
41:30Totally failed.
41:32Significance.
41:32Having been personally awarded a B-minus for my efforts in Suffolk,
41:38I feel we're heading closer to top marks with this detached farmhouse.
41:42It more than lives up to Janet's hopes for sea views and solitude.
41:46And at offers over £550,000,
41:49it sits well within her million-pound budget.
41:53We do have another house up our sleeve.
41:55Well, thank goodness, because I've come a long way.
41:59I just don't want a choice of one.
42:02Shall we go?
42:03Yeah.
42:03Yeah.
42:03Whether property shopping in Scotland or England,
42:17the good news is you don't need a million-pound budget
42:20to bag a property with a sea view.
42:24Take this detached home in the popular coastal town of Southwold in Suffolk,
42:29where our search began.
42:30With two bedrooms and a veranda that leads straight onto the dunes,
42:35it's available for £500,000.
42:41A similar budget on Islay would get you this large, detached home
42:46with three reception rooms and five bedrooms.
42:50Its elevated gardens offer views to Loch Gorm and the Paps of Jura
42:55and is priced at offers over £495,000.
43:00For our finale, we're not straying far,
43:18remaining on the O peninsula, but travelling slightly inland.
43:22We're now within four miles of the town of Port Ellen,
43:25though you'd never guess it out here.
43:27The property we're visiting is one of two nearby holiday lets
43:34currently on the market.
43:36Yet their turfed roofs blend so seamlessly into the landscape
43:40that each feels entirely secluded.
43:42As you may have gathered, Janet is a hard audience to please.
43:49And for a mystery house, well, what do you show?
43:52Someone who is really a striking, sharp-edged feature of the national landscape.
43:59Well, you show her something like this.
44:01With its sense of splendid isolation, sweeping sea views and impeccable design,
44:09I'm hoping this is the one that finally wins over Janet and Christopher.
44:14Ta-da!
44:23This is the mystery house.
44:25Wow.
44:25Wow.
44:26It looks like a spaceship has landed.
44:29It does look like an alien eyebrow, right?
44:31It's a bit hobbity as well.
44:32It's sort of nestled in its nature.
44:34It's got a nod to the hobbits, yes.
44:36No, I love it.
44:37It sits very well in the landscape.
44:39I'm not too happy with seeing the roof of that house there,
44:42but now I'm being really picky.
44:45And I don't like the fence, except there are cows everywhere.
44:50There are cows.
44:50Yeah.
44:51Christopher, any thoughts from the architecture?
44:53I really like the way it's sort of sat into the hillside.
44:56I mean, it really is really successfully done.
45:00It's lovely.
45:00The colour scheme of the materials just blends right in.
45:05And it looks solid.
45:06It looks like it's not going to be at the mercy of the elements.
45:09It's a robust structure.
45:10Shall we go inside?
45:11Yeah.
45:13This stone-clad lodge has a living roof
45:16and a ground source heat pump to make it super eco-friendly.
45:21Built 13 years ago,
45:23its centrepiece is the open-plan living space.
45:29Oh, wow.
45:30What a big room.
45:31This is great.
45:32You can't tell it's going to be this big from outside.
45:35And it's got 180 degrees of view.
45:40You've got underfloor heating under this native stove floor.
45:42It's cosy.
45:43Yeah.
45:44And you've got a nice big kitchen here with a stove.
45:47I know you're a great chef.
45:48Well, I'm not a chef.
45:50I'm a decent cook.
45:53Yeah, it's a good-sized kitchen.
45:56I ate the worktop, obviously.
45:58Nothing's perfect, but...
46:00Nothing is perfect.
46:02Love the space.
46:03I just think the space suits one person as much as it suits four.
46:08So, it's really good.
46:10And I could see myself in this house by myself, perfectly happy.
46:15Yeah.
46:15You are tucked away here.
46:17You haven't got anyone overlooking you at all.
46:20Is this rented out?
46:21These are holiday lets, I believe, at the moment.
46:24Well, it's decorated to a very good standard for a holiday let.
46:27Yeah.
46:28It really is.
46:29If I rented this for a holiday let, I'd be absolutely pleased.
46:32It's very cosy.
46:33There's an outdoor bath.
46:35Because there's a sauna.
46:37Oh!
46:38Yes.
46:38How lovely.
46:39Yeah.
46:40Do you like a sauna?
46:41I love a sauna.
46:42Me too.
46:43And then a plunge pool, the ice-cold water.
46:45Do you do that?
46:46Not so much.
46:47This would be a great house for me to write in.
46:49Yes.
46:50Really, really great house to work in.
46:52It's really good.
46:54I'm a keen writer myself, and I can't think of a better view to stir the imagination.
46:59And when you're done writing page-turners, there's only one place to head to decompress.
47:06Oh, my goodness, the sauna.
47:09It's actually quite spacious.
47:10It is a spacious sauna.
47:12Right, get in.
47:13I'm not feeling it.
47:21You're not feeling it?
47:22No.
47:22Well, we haven't got to switch the sauna on.
47:24How many people could you get in here?
47:26Because you're going to only...
47:27I would never share the sauna with more than one.
47:29I don't know about you.
47:31Get out.
47:31I wouldn't be sharing with anybody.
47:33When it comes to bedrooms, there are two to choose from, both en suite.
47:40Oh, wow.
47:40It's big rooms.
47:42Spacious.
47:43I love the ceiling.
47:44Yeah, it's great, isn't it?
47:46Oh, look at the view from the bed.
47:49It's a pretty good view.
47:50I mean, you would lie in bed and watch it all happening.
47:53I mean, you wouldn't need to have a garden.
47:54No, I don't want a garden.
47:56You'd just let the scrub grow up to the edge.
47:58It's lovely.
47:58Yeah.
47:59And, I mean, I could imagine putting artwork in here.
48:03Yeah.
48:03Having lovely rugs.
48:05It'd be a great place to sit and read.
48:06Yeah.
48:08When Janet's liked a property in the past,
48:10she and Christopher have enjoyed talking in detail
48:13about how she could make it her own.
48:16In this property with almost nothing to change,
48:19Janet's free to picture how life might actually feel here.
48:23Second room's also really good size
48:25and you wouldn't really squabble over who got what bedroom.
48:28No, I think this is great too.
48:31And the bathroom's nice though.
48:33This is great.
48:35I mean, there's a property...
48:36This is like a bathroom I would design for me.
48:40You walk in, you can put your arms out
48:42and it's two metres across.
48:46Garden-wise, there's roughly half an acre of grassed grounds
48:49that come with the property,
48:51though when the weather turns,
48:53I'd be inclined to enjoy it from the comfort of the sofa.
48:56Oh, it's bracing out here.
48:58Yeah, it certainly is.
48:59Good for the soul.
49:01Actually, this is a nice aspect of the house.
49:02What do you think of the house now from having seen inside?
49:05I really, really like the house.
49:07It's got a lovely, lovely sense of space inside it.
49:11So, you know, you gave us those cards the other day.
49:14Mm-hmm.
49:14I kept two.
49:15I nicked them.
49:16Oh.
49:17When we played fab or drab...
49:21How are we doing with this one?
49:23Yay!
49:23Fab!
49:25OK.
49:26What does a fab property in this location cost, though?
49:30I've got an idea in my head.
49:32Do you want to go first this time, Christopher?
49:34Um, I'm going to say £460,000.
49:39No, I think £375,000.
49:42Well, Janet, you were wildly out on the last one,
49:44but you are spot on for this one.
49:46That's so good.
49:47Amazing!
49:48That's infuriating.
49:50Well, offers over £375,000.
49:53So is way out again.
49:53I think it's worth £375,000.
49:58Easily within budget, this private lodge promises peace,
50:03sea views and just the right amount of luxury,
50:06leaving Janet beaming from ear to ear.
50:09It could be a hideaway for all seasons,
50:11and to put that to the test, we've got a little surprise in store.
50:16Now, you did mention that you could imagine spending time here writing.
50:20Yeah, I did.
50:21Would you like to spend this evening here?
50:23How fantastic!
50:24We've booked it for you, too.
50:25Have you?
50:26Yeah.
50:27Oh, how lovely!
50:28Can't wait.
50:29Can we go in the sauna?
50:30You can go in the sauna.
50:32I can make Christopher have a cold bath.
50:33I've checked there's actually warm water as well,
50:35so you can get it warm for you.
50:36Excellent.
50:37But I thought it'd be nice to have a test run, right?
50:39Yes.
50:39Yeah.
50:40I think we're going to have supper here, then, as well.
50:41Well, save me something for breakfast, because I'll come see you.
50:44That's exciting.
50:45Oh, I'm really excited.
50:46Yeah, we'll bring your bags, and you can settle in.
50:49Excellent.
50:50Gosh, I'm really excited.
50:53With their belongings brought in from the car,
50:55Janet and Christopher are free to settle into the lodge
50:58for their Hebridean test drive.
51:01Are we going to squabble over who gets what?
51:03I'm not going to fight.
51:05I think...
51:06I don't like the fact that it's too bad to put you together,
51:09so I'm going to give it to you.
51:10OK.
51:10All right.
51:11All right, so this is yours?
51:12Yeah, as long as it's long enough.
51:14I'm going to hear me snoring through the partition.
51:17Hang on, let me listen to the wall.
51:20Ooh.
51:21Well, I've got my earplugs anyway.
51:22That's probably going to be a mercy.
51:23The weather, for once, is on their side,
51:27so Janet, Christopher and the stag decide to make the most of it.
51:33So, with boots laced and spirits high,
51:36they head out on their own to explore the island.
51:40Could you cope with this, do you think?
51:42Could I live here all year round?
51:44No.
51:44No, but I'd come here all the time.
51:48I'd miss it when I wasn't here,
51:51and I'd think about it when I was in London.
51:54And you could write your columns here
51:56and make your plans for world domination
52:00from a James Bondiary.
52:03Ha-ha.
52:04After a windswept wonder along Kilnorton Bay,
52:08it's on to Port Ellen to secure dinner,
52:10and something suitably Scottish.
52:12It's really beautiful.
52:14Lovely.
52:15Then back to the lodge to unwind while dinner cooks.
52:20Here I am in the sauna.
52:23Ha-ha.
52:23Very relaxing.
52:26I'm dropping a bit more water on.
52:29Excellent.
52:29Now, why isn't my cameraman in the bath outside
52:34in the freezing cold wind?
52:36Doesn't, um, attract me, strangely.
52:40Goodbye.
52:42A few final touches to the table.
52:48There we go.
52:50And dinner is served.
52:52And we're off.
52:53Delicious.
52:54Fantastic lobster dinner.
52:57Boiled Scottish potatoes,
52:59courgettes, fennel and rocket salad,
53:02cooked with hot courgettes,
53:04cooked by me,
53:05beautiful grilled lobster,
53:08grilled by Christopher.
53:09Excellent.
53:11Delicious.
53:12Well, cheers.
53:13Oh, good.
53:14Right, let's start.
53:17As night falls, the lodge and its guests
53:19settle into the stillness of island life.
53:23And by the morning,
53:32the sky is awash with pink,
53:35glowing just as brightly as I hope Janet and Christopher are
53:38after their overnight stay.
53:41Sadly, by the time my alarm sounds,
53:44the weather has dramatically turned.
53:46And this is proper Scottish weather.
53:51It's a wee bit dry.
53:54But it's nothing some tea and pastries can't fix.
53:58Good morning.
54:00Hello.
54:00Hello.
54:00We've seen an incredible range of property
54:05in two stunning locations,
54:06but how are Janet and Christopher feeling
54:09as the search draws to a close?
54:13Well, it feels like we've been house hunting for weeks.
54:16I know, it's taken its toll.
54:19But how did you sleep in here?
54:20Really well.
54:21Really, really well.
54:22And how was your lobster?
54:23The lobster was absolutely memorable.
54:27I think if I lived here,
54:29I'd be on a seafood diet.
54:31It would just be absolutely fantastic.
54:33Because you fish, right?
54:33You fish.
54:35I fish.
54:35I can catch mackerel.
54:37Well, it's a shame we're not doing a cookery show,
54:39but we are actually doing a property show.
54:40So what are your feelings about living here?
54:43What about this property?
54:44The reality is that when we sat here last night
54:47and the light was going down
54:49and the cows came right up to the fence,
54:52I immediately said to Christopher,
54:55you know, I'm going to rent this for a whole week
54:58to see what it feels like
55:00when you're here day after day
55:02and then take it from there.
55:06So I don't have to read between the lines very deeply
55:08to see that this is probably your favourite
55:10of all the houses we've shown you?
55:12Well, it's definitely my favourite.
55:14I don't know about Christopher.
55:15You're the one buying it.
55:16Yeah, but I don't know about him
55:17because he doesn't always agree with me.
55:19What do you think?
55:20I love this house,
55:22but I would be more excited
55:24by owning the one on the hill here
55:26just because it was more dramatic
55:28and more on its own
55:30and more thrilling.
55:31It was strangely thrilling.
55:33Yeah.
55:33And overall,
55:34do you feel that we've shown Janet
55:37a good spread of properties?
55:38Absolutely.
55:39I'm very sad about Suffolk
55:40because it's my county
55:42and I love it,
55:44but I could see
55:46it didn't offer Janet
55:47the combination of elements
55:49that she required.
55:51How has it been for you, Janet?
55:52Has it been a worthwhile experience?
55:54Oh, I loved it.
55:55I've come to Scotland
55:56at the drop of a hat.
55:57It's been a pleasure.
55:58It's been a pleasure.
56:00I've loved it.
56:00It's been great fun.
56:01Well, keep us in the loop.
56:02I'll keep you in the loop.
56:04Send us some pictures
56:04of what you do with the decor.
56:06Certainly not.
56:15Ah, splendid Scottish weather.
56:18Now, I know I've looked
56:19completely cool
56:20and composed on the outside,
56:21but I have, on the inside,
56:22been quite nervous this week
56:24because Janet is famously outspoken
56:27and she's also very,
56:28very knowledgeable about property,
56:30but I think it all paid off.
56:32The journey from Suffolk
56:33to Scotland was a big hit
56:34and it's very lovely
56:36to see how much she treasures
56:38the silence and stillness
56:40here in Islay.
56:41And she's going to book
56:43the Mystery House
56:43for another week's trial run.
56:46So I hope the weather brightens
56:47and I hope you join us next time
56:49for more Escape to the Country.
56:52If you would like to escape
56:54to the country in England,
56:56Northern Ireland,
56:57Scotland or Wales,
56:59remember,
57:00you don't need to be famous.
57:02So why not apply online
57:04at bbc.co.uk
57:06forward slash take part.
Be the first to comment