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00:00Today I'm house hunting with someone famously opinionated.
00:06I don't like seeing the neighbours. I hate the worktop.
00:09I don't like the fence.
00:11Bodged.
00:12An arbiter of style and taste.
00:15What is it, Feng Shui?
00:17Yeah.
00:18I don't believe in any of that.
00:20But can we make a believer out of her?
00:22It looks like a spaceship has landed.
00:25And find a property out of this world.
00:29Oh, wow.
00:30I could see myself in this house by myself.
00:33Perfectly happy.
00:52Estate agents of the nation, brace yourselves and gird your loins
00:57because a broadcasting icon, fearless journalist
01:00and one of the nation's noisiest national treasures
01:03is escaping to the country.
01:06So, please welcome a lady who really requires no introduction
01:11other than these three little awe-inspiring words.
01:15Janet Street Porter.
01:19Well, I'm a complete Londoner.
01:26I was born in Fulham.
01:29My dad was an electrician and my mum was a school dinner lady.
01:33We didn't have a bathroom.
01:35We had an outside toilet and we were allowed to use the inside bathroom
01:42on Sunday afternoons between two and five.
01:46Now people might wonder why I turned out the way I did.
01:51From humble beginnings, Janet Street Porter has spent over five decades
01:56shaping British media.
01:58After cutting her teeth on Fleet Street,
02:00she revolutionised youth television as a producer and broadcaster.
02:05Now holding court on loose women and in print,
02:08she's still as opinionated, sharp and unmistakably Janet as ever,
02:13including when it comes to her home.
02:21When I'm in my house, I don't want to be overlooked.
02:24I don't want to hear neighbours.
02:26I don't want to hear screaming kids.
02:28I don't want to see a trampoline.
02:31If I could ban one thing, if I'm running Britain,
02:33trampoline's going to be banned.
02:36Thankfully, she's as sure about the things she loves
02:39as she is about the things she doesn't.
02:42I've lived by water since 1973.
02:48The repetitiveness of waves is very calming
02:54and I'm a very busy person.
02:57I've got loads on my mind all the time.
02:59I just find water.
03:01It just does it for me.
03:04Since studying architecture as a teen
03:06and designing her own home in the 1980s,
03:09curating her environment has always been important to Janet.
03:13And with an apartment in central London,
03:15she's now looking for a coastal hideaway in East Anglia
03:19for her and husband Peter.
03:21Keeping her in check is designer and art director Christopher,
03:25a Suffolk resident and Janet's long-time friend.
03:29She's got an extraordinary knack and ability for creating spaces.
03:35And they have a very strong point of view, unsurprisingly, with Janet.
03:39But she's got a very sure hand with her spaces.
03:43She's not remotely interested in an idea of good taste.
03:46It's very much her.
03:48It's a unique vision, very clearly articulated.
03:51I think you've got a real challenge finding me something.
03:57I think I've set you the impossible dream.
04:00Janet wants somewhere where I can be private.
04:06I can be silent.
04:08I won't get annoyed by neighbours.
04:11Go walking.
04:13Just be myself.
04:17Without people coming up to me every bloody five minutes
04:20and saying, are you Janet Street Porter?
04:23So if you see Janet in the supermarket, you have been warned.
04:33When it comes to Janet's wants and needs for her escape into anonymity,
04:37there are just three things she insists on.
04:40Absolute peace, sweet isolation and an uninterrupted view of the sea.
04:46She's got up to one million pounds to spend
04:48and roughly zero tolerance for compromise.
04:55The UK has thousands and thousands of miles of spectacular coastline
05:00for Janet to escape to.
05:01But she wants to focus our search here in gorgeous Suffolk.
05:05But I'm going to let you into a little secret.
05:09Just because the search starts here
05:11doesn't mean that it's going to finish here.
05:13So watch this space.
05:17Set on England's east coast,
05:19Suffolk is close enough for the convenience of the capital,
05:22yet far enough away to enjoy fresh sea air
05:25and the solitude Janet craves.
05:29A detached home here averages around £439,000,
05:33just a touch above the national figure of £438,000.
05:39So you get all that charm without the London price tag.
05:46From the gentle beauty of constable country in the Dedham Vale
05:50to the medieval streets of its famous wool towns,
05:53much of Suffolk's quiet landscape has remained unchanged for centuries.
05:59But along its 50 miles of coastline,
06:02the traces of modern life are harder to miss.
06:05In Southwold's lively amusements
06:07and in Oldborough's bustle of galleries and cafes.
06:11And it's here that I'm meeting Janet and Christopher.
06:16Janet, thanks so much for doing this.
06:18It's a pleasure.
06:19I'm so excited to meet you too as well, Christopher.
06:21Nice to meet you too.
06:22Thank you for keeping us company.
06:23See, I have nice friends.
06:24Nice friends with good taste, I hope.
06:26Yeah.
06:27I'm your emotional support animal, I think.
06:29Yeah, I give him a good kick in every now and then.
06:33Because many people, I guess, will know you from TV,
06:35but they might not know that you started in architecture.
06:38Yeah, I studied architecture.
06:40When I left grammar school,
06:42I got into the Architectural Association in London,
06:44a very prestigious college.
06:46I did two years at the EAA
06:49and then I got a job on a magazine
06:51and I immediately whisked up into journalism
06:55and within a year I was offered a job
06:58as a fashion editor and columnist, so...
07:01Fashion took you away from architecture.
07:03What a lot.
07:04Yeah, but not really,
07:05because I've always felt that architecture
07:08is one of the major loves of my life.
07:11Well, you had a beautiful house built,
07:13which has been listed,
07:14so you must have excellent taste.
07:16That's not what they thought at the time, though.
07:19I know they didn't.
07:20Let me point out that when I built my house,
07:23we had to go through every single protest group
07:27that could possibly have come up with some pitiful reason
07:32why my house couldn't be built in the city of London,
07:35you know, in central London.
07:37And then, what happens?
07:3920 years down the line, it gets listed.
07:41You're a prophet.
07:43Christopher, I'm going to...
07:44You're not so very far away here.
07:46No, yeah.
07:47It's quite busy now, Suffolk.
07:49It's quite trendy.
07:50Lots of people live on the coast.
07:51Do you think we're going to find...
07:52There are still pockets.
07:53There are still pockets of kind of complete solitude.
07:56It is quite isolated.
07:57It's not really on the way anywhere.
07:59Is Suffolk the only candidate?
08:01I'm going to be honest with you.
08:03Every week, I scout the property pages in the newspapers.
08:07I do look online.
08:09I look at Scotland a lot.
08:11Oh, yeah.
08:12I go to Scotland on holiday every year.
08:14I like fishing and walking.
08:16So, that's something I would consider.
08:18Shall we crack on and see the first house?
08:20Yeah.
08:21Yeah, come on then.
08:22Follow me.
08:23OK.
08:24Our search begins a few miles inland, surrounded by the rolling countryside outside the village
08:31of Levington.
08:33It'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.
08:44Coastal views might be a little out of reach, but the property does overlook the nearby Orwell Estuary.
08:50In the surrounding open fields, wild deer are said to wander, and there's a calm over this peaceful landscape.
09:01Which is more than can be said for me right now.
09:03Obviously, it's a bit nerve-wracking showing you property because you're such a property mogul.
09:11I'm not a mogul, Alistair.
09:14I know what I like and don't like.
09:16So, what do you think about this house?
09:18Here we are.
09:19I don't like seeing the neighbours.
09:20Yeah, we thought that might be a bone of contention.
09:23I'm kind of interested because bungalows have always been something I'd love to get my hands on and remodel,
09:31but this bungalow has been turned into a multi-storey dwelling.
09:36So, we'd have to go inside and see how the spaces all flow together.
09:40Shall we do that?
09:41Yeah.
09:42Come on in.
09:45This detached home was originally single-storey and has since been extended to offer just under 2,000 square feet of accommodation.
09:54We're heading into the newest part of the property, which is sleek, bright and unapologetically modern.
10:01So, a big open plan space, kitchen, acres of glass looking out.
10:07I like open plan.
10:09I like an island because you can put a lot of storage in it.
10:14It's a social hub, but at the same time, I've never wanted to eat on a stool under a counter, ever.
10:22I just want a kitchen table.
10:24You want a big kitchen table?
10:26Yeah, and also, when I'm doing a house, I like to have old furniture and new furniture side by side.
10:33I don't like everything being of the same age.
10:37So, let's just assume that whatever I'm going to show you, you're going to completely gut and start again.
10:42You have to see the actual space, the shape, the rectangular shape of the room, and then you've got this coming off it.
10:51It all flows through in one kind of rather bland, seamless, big room.
10:58Ha! I think we all expected Janet to have strong opinions, but personally, I think most people would love a layout like this.
11:05But, as we know, Janet isn't most people.
11:08I wouldn't have a TV room per se.
11:11You know, never had a television in a bedroom.
11:14I've never had a television in the living room.
11:16I would put the television in a cosy room.
11:18Because you go to watch telly, and you might watch it by yourself, or you might watch it with your partner and the dog,
11:24and have a bit of a row about why we're watching this sh**, and why you're watching reruns of Bottom yet again,
11:30and where everything's been erased off the planner.
11:33So, this is the opposite.
11:35So, if you did have a space like this that is the living room, how would you arrange it?
11:39What is the focal point?
11:40Oh, big sofas.
11:41I would make a grouping to enjoy the view, look out at the garden.
11:46If the fireplace works, I'd create a focal point around the fire, definitely.
11:53I don't think it should be both TV and fire.
11:56I think it needs to be one or the other.
11:58Yeah, I agree.
12:00OK, we've done two rooms. How will the rest of downstairs fare?
12:05Oh, my God, we've got the spooky glass wall.
12:08See, that disconcerts me enormously.
12:11Against my better judgement, I'm leaving Janet and Christopher to explore the remaining ground floor accommodation,
12:17where there's three bedrooms.
12:20You'd have to put the bed like that, and then you look out at the back.
12:24You're at the back of your outdoor kitchen a bit.
12:26Your tiki bar area.
12:27Yeah.
12:30I mean, I quite like these.
12:32Janet wasn't a fan, but I think it's quite nice.
12:34A little stool by the breakfast bar.
12:37I've never had a house tour like this. It's amazing.
12:39The house is really a backdrop to a lot of Janet's wonderful opinions about houses in general.
12:44But I think it's interesting what the house that Janet's looking for is about.
12:51What's the story?
12:52Because it's clearly not about big family spaces and modern open plan.
12:58It's something cosy and probably a bit more remote than this.
13:07So, look, here's another bed in the corner.
13:09Oh.
13:10Oh, they've got two beds.
13:11Obviously, you'd have one.
13:13I'd always put the bed facing the door if possible.
13:16I think...
13:17I know there's all those kind of rules about, what is it, Feng Shui?
13:21Yeah.
13:22I don't believe in any of that.
13:25One thing you can say about this house, it's got all the modern touches.
13:29Oh, God, what's this?
13:30Which might be exactly the problem.
13:34What's that do?
13:35I can't...
13:36Ah!
13:40Before Janet presses the button which seals all the doors and turns out the lights,
13:44I'm steering her and Christopher towards the principal ensuite bedroom.
13:49And it has views.
13:51Oh, yeah, it does have great views.
13:52Oh, this is great.
13:54And a balcony.
13:56What do you think?
14:00I like the mixture of industrial and countryside.
14:05Yeah, you've got the Felixstowe container port over there.
14:09I can't tell whether you're struck down.
14:12I'm thinking it's a view, but it's a good view, but it's not a fabulous view.
14:18I'm quite clear in my head that when I see the right place, I'll go, wow.
14:24It'll be like reading a book or seeing a painting for the first time.
14:29You'll see it and you'll go, that's me.
14:31It may not have Janet's name on it, but there's a lot that sells this exquisite house, including the slick outside kitchen with built-in barbecue, the extra large terrace which extends onto the low maintenance garden and those good, although I personally think great views.
14:52I don't need to be a property Sherlock to know that maybe this one is not for you, but for the record, how much do you think it's on the market for?
15:01849.
15:02I think it might be a bit more.
15:03No.
15:04870.
15:05So this is on the market for, hold your horses, £960,000.
15:08For the right family, it's the right house, but maybe not for Janet.
15:20I don't want to come across as a curmudgeon or a nitpicker, but can I remind you of what I asked for?
15:27Sure.
15:28View of the sea, peace and quiet, yes, but something that I would find, you know, invigorating and would resonate with me.
15:37Give me something that I can remodel, that I can make mine.
15:41Because this house, I couldn't turn it into Janet's house.
15:44It's just not possible.
15:46Well, we could give you a bit more sea.
15:48How about that?
15:50Yeah, you're being very cautious.
15:52Of course I'm cautious of you.
15:54You're sensing a knockback already.
15:57That's not good enough, Alistair.
15:59You've got to be a bit more competent with me.
16:02OK.
16:03Right, we're going to the sea and you're going to love it.
16:04Great.
16:05Janet's very honest feedback has taught me that no amount of countryside views will make up for the inability to remodel the house to her own taste.
16:18Modern and ready to move into?
16:20Not on Janet's watch.
16:22Consider me firmly corrected.
16:25I guess people do think of you as very outspoken.
16:36People think, I think the main thing is that if you're on television, quite a lot of people feel related to you.
16:42And then they see you in the street and they honestly think, quite often, you're a relative.
16:48And quite often people come up to me and say, hello, how are you?
16:51And I think, but you don't know me.
16:53Yeah.
16:54So your home has to be a real sanctuary from all of that.
16:56Yeah.
16:57Where you can completely relax.
16:58Slouch around.
16:59And also wear horrible clothes.
17:01I mean, the thing is, now I've got like, you know, the trackie Covid turned us into such schlops.
17:09And it's quite hard to come back out of it.
17:12And wear non-elasticated waist trousers.
17:16So that's, you know, that's what happened.
17:19You don't wear a corset at home.
17:21Yeah.
17:24Yeah.
17:25Our destination is in the historic coastal village of Thorpe Ness.
17:32Dreamt up by the Ogilvy family, the early 20th century Thorpe Ness
17:36was designed as a seaside escape for the fortunate few.
17:40Today, all are welcome,
17:42with many stopping by for cosy cream teas, rounds of golf
17:46and relaxing on the boating lake.
17:50From the wild and windy Shingle Beach,
17:53it's only a 35-minute stroll to Oldborough's cafes and boutiques.
17:58The property we're visiting sits on a private road,
18:01raised up just enough to make the most of its good looks.
18:07Welcome into our second offering.
18:11It's very imposing. It's a nice, solid-looking house as well.
18:14Now, you wanted the sea. Yes.
18:16You couldn't get any closer to the sea unless you were in the sea.
18:19Yeah, I like the sound of the sea. Yeah.
18:21So, I'm being drawn towards the building by the sound of the sea.
18:25Then let's skirt round the building and go straight to the sea.
18:28Let's do that.
18:31This detached, black-and-white beach house
18:33has been watching the waves since the 1920s.
18:37But will the view be up to Janet's exacting standards?
18:41Yeah.
18:42Wow.
18:43Yeah.
18:44Great view.
18:45Thank goodness.
18:47Unimpeded horizon.
18:49Really like it.
18:50It would keep me happy.
18:52Yes, I can see another very ugly house over there.
18:56This house is a bit set back, so that's fine.
19:02This is your path down to the beach.
19:04There's some sleeper steps that take you to the beach.
19:06OK.
19:07OK.
19:08And we're facing east.
19:09The sun will rise over here.
19:10Because I've got a compass.
19:11Right.
19:12OK.
19:13So, Nellie eats sour watermelon.
19:14So, that's south, yeah.
19:15Yeah, so, yes, you're right.
19:16It'll set on that side of the house.
19:18What was that Nellie thing?
19:19Nellie, Nellie eats sour watermelon.
19:22That's how you remember the points of the compass.
19:25My first Janet Street Porter eye-rolled.
19:28It's like getting a handshake from Paul Hollywood.
19:32Well...
19:33Is that a jacuzzi?
19:35Hello?
19:36What's under that rug?
19:38Would a jacuzzi be a good thing or a bad thing?
19:40No.
19:41It would be a symbol of everything I hate.
19:43Yeah, me too.
19:44Phew.
19:45Let's get inside before she vetoes anything else.
19:50So, here we have the living space.
19:52How have they done on the focal point front?
19:54I think it works really well, because if you own this house,
19:59you'd spend a lot of time in this room.
20:01It's the room with the view, and because of the big expanse of glass,
20:05that is going to be as good as having the television on easily.
20:08Yeah.
20:09And it's nice that they've kind of retained some of the original features.
20:13I mean, this fireplace is a nice original fireplace.
20:15I like the fact there's no curtains.
20:17Yeah.
20:18I could work on this room.
20:19I mean, I could do something with it.
20:21What would you do?
20:22I'd probably lighten up the floor a bit to bring more light to the back of the room.
20:27Shall we continue the tour?
20:28So, there's another dining room.
20:29It's all facing the sea.
20:32Beautiful, big dining space.
20:34Yeah.
20:35Do you really need a separate dining room?
20:37I'd be probably using it as an office.
20:39Oh, even better.
20:40I'd be sitting on my computer staring out at the sea.
20:45Dare I say it, it's going quite well.
20:48Next door to the dining room is the kitchen, which, much like the other rooms downstairs,
20:53overlooks the sea, and there's no breakfast bar in sight.
20:57So, here's the kitchen.
20:59You've got a utility room.
21:00Yeah.
21:01And a stove.
21:02Yeah.
21:03And at the end of the kitchen, you've got this, I think, quite unique feature where you
21:09can open up all the windows, so it's become sort of outside in sight.
21:12What do you think of the kitchen?
21:13Yeah, no, it's good.
21:14Good.
21:15Wow.
21:16But I'm starting to realise with Janet, there's always a but.
21:21You have the hot, boiling hot pan.
21:24You've got a pan on here.
21:27You've lifted it off.
21:28That lid's down.
21:29Where do you go?
21:30So, I haven't integrated it into the kitchen this way or that way.
21:36There's a gap, and you've got to...
21:38I think it's difficult.
21:39But you could shoot, you could extend the worktop and shoot it.
21:42Yeah, I did it.
21:43It looks so bodged.
21:45So, what I'm noticing is that you are talking a lot about this house.
21:49You're looking at things, which wasn't the case in the first house.
21:53Does that mean that this kind of...
21:55It's inching towards being acceptable, but it still feels hemmed in at the sides, because
22:01look.
22:02Oh.
22:03Yeah.
22:04You have got the stockade.
22:06The view is incredible.
22:07And there's some really nice details as well.
22:09Yeah.
22:10Even the sort of cabinetry is nicely detailed and the artwork and the pulls and...
22:14Yeah.
22:15It's done...
22:16It's done to a high standard.
22:17I'm going to let you explore upstairs, and when you're done, let me know.
22:20Yeah.
22:21Yeah.
22:22Or you could check out the utility room.
22:24Also.
22:25They're very thorough.
22:27These don't feel right there.
22:28Do these tiles feel like they're...
22:29They're on a hollow floor.
22:30They've been placed on a wood block floor.
22:31Yeah.
22:32On boards.
22:33But nice sink.
22:34Four double bedrooms await Janet and Christopher upstairs.
22:47The family bathroom is ready for a refresh, whilst the principal has the benefit of its own en-suite.
22:54Okay.
22:55Well, this is good.
22:56You can lie in the bath and look out and see.
22:59Very nice.
23:00I would get rid of these built-in cupboards.
23:03All they are is boxes to put things in outside.
23:07And never find it again.
23:08So they don't add any plus to the room, to the character of the room.
23:12Would you put the fireplace back in?
23:14Maybe.
23:15Yeah.
23:16And then I'd stress out about how near to the end of the bed the fire was, probably.
23:21Yeah.
23:22Anyway, the dog would lie in front of it and block it.
23:25It's very striking.
23:27In this house, there's a lot of tapping the wall, looking at the floor, checking the windows.
23:34There's an engagement with the property that was completely absent this morning.
23:37And although Janet's never going to be the gushy type, I do feel that there are some sterling qualities about this property that she likes.
23:48Another bedroom.
23:49Right.
23:50I think there's quite an argument in this house for knocking these two rooms back into one so that you've got one really lovely big second bedroom for guests.
24:02Mm-hmm.
24:03And then you've got another room that could be an office or a study or whatever.
24:10Yeah, so you'd have two…
24:11And I like the idea of having the balcony.
24:14That's great.
24:15I mean, it's fantastic.
24:17But if you're not through, you'd have two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office.
24:21Yeah, that's great.
24:22Which is what you need.
24:23And then downstairs is more open plan.
24:25Yeah.
24:26Aha!
24:27When they start redrawing the floor plan, you know it's serious.
24:30Maybe Janet is starting to imagine her new life here.
24:34Do you think it's not secluded enough still?
24:37It's definitely not secluded.
24:38I mean, if this was standing on its own on the end of a beach.
24:41I feel that the people on either side will want me to come in for cocktails.
24:46But they probably won't.
24:47I can't do that!
24:48Ha-ha!
24:49OK, so cocktail hour is a no, but how about something a little more their style?
24:55A quick game, perhaps?
24:57So I'm going to take advantage of the fact that we've got two trendsetters in the world
25:02of property and interiors with us today.
25:04And I'm going to check what is in and what is out with interior design objects from all
25:12sorts of eras.
25:14And the choice that Christopher and Janet have to make is fab, draft.
25:21OK, so we're going to start with a good one, I think, for this lacal, which are horse brasses.
25:28So, a very traditional thing that we see often mounted on leather by fireplaces.
25:35Ah, interesting.
25:37I'm going to say fab because I'm seeing a black room with maybe 400 of them pinned to the wall.
25:43Oh, he's designing a chill-out room in a hip pub or something.
25:47Yeah.
25:48I'm thinking if I walked into our house and I had those there, I'd just turn around and
25:53walk out there.
25:54No, no, really, Janet, don't hold back.
25:56OK, so this is a standard classic.
25:59Double drab.
26:00Double drab.
26:01There's no place for that.
26:02No place.
26:03And there never will be.
26:04What about in a bright colour?
26:06If it was done by a famous British artist and worth a lot of money.
26:13Double drab.
26:14Double drab.
26:15Sorry.
26:16Fake fruit, fake flowers.
26:19Why would you have a fake lemon when real lemons are lovely?
26:23Well, because they don't rot.
26:25I do see it a lot.
26:27Why don't you go through these houses and just purge?
26:30A glug jug.
26:33Difficult.
26:34Tricky.
26:35Oh.
26:36I'm going to say both.
26:37Fat drab.
26:38Fat drab.
26:39What about you, Janet?
26:40I can't be bothered with it.
26:42Do you know what I mean?
26:43One last go before I lose their goodwill entirely.
26:47Pithy wisdom painted on a sign in the kitchen.
26:51It's OK if you disagree with me.
26:53I can't force you to be right.
26:55I don't understand it.
26:56Basically that you're right.
26:58Well, I know I'm right.
26:59I'm taking that's a drab.
27:01Drab doesn't really cut it, does it?
27:03Drab is disgusting.
27:04It's beyond drab.
27:05I would never bother with the slogan in my house because anyone who comes round knows
27:10it's my way or the wrong way.
27:12Yeah.
27:13Yeah.
27:19Turning our attention back to the house, there's plenty that's fab about its setting.
27:25The lawned front garden is neatly manicured, whilst out the back the extensive timber deck is good for big get-togethers or solitary moments of reflection.
27:39So it's inside the house.
27:41What do you think the price tag on this one is?
27:44Hard to tell, but I'd guess 890,000 they'd be asking.
27:49890,000?
27:51I'm going to say 1.1.
27:531.1 million?
27:54Yeah.
27:55Well, I think that's hopelessly optimistic because in the financial climate we're in, I find that hard to believe that they'll be able to shift this house.
28:05That's not it.
28:06It's on at 895,000 pounds.
28:08Well, I was going to say 895.
28:11Every room frames a view of the sea in this four-bedroom detached beach house, giving it instant appeal.
28:18And at 895,000, there's scope for Janet to make it her own.
28:23The question is, can she live with company this close by?
28:33With our property tours wrapped for the day, it's only right we head to the beach for a quick debrief before the sun goes down.
28:41Well, Janet, how do you think we've done today?
28:44Well, I think you've done pretty well.
28:47I'd say B minus, you know, B.
28:52But the bottom line is neither house offer me solitude.
28:57They offer me the sound of the sea.
28:59And seagulls!
29:01Seagulls?
29:02Yeah, but I think you've failed.
29:04What we're struggling with is there's not enough isolation.
29:06There certainly isn't.
29:08I think we're going to have to go further afield.
29:10You mentioned Scotland.
29:11Yeah.
29:12How do you feel about Scotland?
29:13Thrilled.
29:14Come up with somewhere.
29:15There's your challenge.
29:16OK.
29:17You gave me a challenge.
29:18I'm going to rise to it.
29:19Bring it on.
29:20Scotland, here we come.
29:23With a name like Alistair Appleton, I'm always aiming for straight A's.
29:27So, next stop, Scotland.
29:42We're taking a 500-mile leap of faith to the Hebridean island scattered off Scotland's west coast.
29:49A diverse chain of interconnected isles, the Hebrides are divided into two distinct groups, defined by how far they lie from the mainland.
30:04The furthest out to sea are the outer Hebrides, a wilder, more remote stretch, running for over 130 miles and home to Lewis and Harris.
30:17Closer in lie the inner Hebrides, a little bit more connected, yet every bit as captivating.
30:23Made up of 35 inhabited isles, Sky is the largest and best known.
30:32Together, they form one of Scotland's most distinctive regions, breathtakingly beautiful and wonderfully remote.
30:39So, which Hebridean gem are we heading for?
30:47Welcome to Islay. Isn't it beautiful?
30:49And only 3,000 people are lucky enough to call this island home,
30:53which equates to five people per square kilometre, compared to 200 people per square kilometre in Suffolk.
31:01And as for coastline, well, Islay has 130 miles of the salty stuff.
31:09Lying at the southern tip of the inner Hebrides, Islay is celebrated for its rugged beaches, abundant wildlife and world-famous whiskies.
31:20It forms part of the Unitary Council area of Argyll and Bute,
31:24where buyers can expect to pay around £315,000 for a detached home,
31:3028% lower than an equivalent property in Suffolk.
31:34Nine distilleries craft Islay's signature peaty single malts, many named after the island's landmarks,
31:43from Bamoor, the capital, to Macha Bay, a sweeping beach on the west coast.
31:48The village of Portnehaven doesn't have a whisky named after it, but we got some really nice shots of seals here,
31:57so thought it was worth a mention.
31:59We've arrived in the harbour town of Port Ellen, which, thanks to the ferry terminal,
32:03is the first glimpse many visitors have of life here.
32:07I promised you Scotland, here it is.
32:10Yep.
32:11In all its wondrously windswept glory.
32:13Yeah, it's just the kind of weather I like.
32:15Is it?
32:16Yep.
32:17Loads of cloud.
32:18We'll probably get five different weathers today and that'll be fine.
32:21It's good.
32:22And we can have a bit of isolation here.
32:24Yeah, once we get out of this town, yes.
32:27There are not many towns, to be fair.
32:29We had to start somewhere.
32:30Christopher, are you a fan of Scotland?
32:32I love it.
32:33I like this weather.
32:34They call it Dreek weather, don't they?
32:36Yeah.
32:37I think this is actually officially balmy.
32:38Yeah.
32:39Dreek is when it starts raining.
32:40Oh, right.
32:41We can look forward to that.
32:42Yeah, that could happen in the next ten minutes.
32:43Have you been to Islay before?
32:45No, I haven't been to Islay.
32:47I've filmed on some of the Scottish islands before.
32:50I went to Stornoway a couple of years ago.
32:53Beautiful.
32:54I rented a house on Ali and Shona.
32:57So this is exciting for me, very exciting.
33:00Christopher, have you been to Islay?
33:01Not to Islay, I've been to Tyree, which I'm hoping this is similarly beautiful.
33:06It looks like it is.
33:07I've never been.
33:08Escape has never been, so this is a first for all of us.
33:11Yes.
33:12And we've got houses.
33:13Yeah.
33:14Plural.
33:15Houses?
33:16Plural.
33:17Oh, it is exciting.
33:18Shall we go and see one of them?
33:20Yeah.
33:21Our first stop on Islay is seven miles south of Port Ellen on the windswept cliffs of the
33:31O Peninsula.
33:33Protected within an RSPB nature reserve, this distinctive corner of the island climbs to
33:40over 200 metres above sea level at its highest point.
33:44The property we're here to see is over a kilometre from its nearest neighbour and is the most southerly
33:51inhabited house in the whole of the Western Isles.
33:55Janet, you wanted remote.
33:57Is this remote enough?
33:59It's got everything that I like about the approach to a house.
34:03You drive through absolutely arid, nothing happening countryside with fabulous views.
34:10You pass that and you end up here.
34:13Amazing, right?
34:14It's perfect.
34:15It's so beautiful.
34:16And of course you've got the lovely cows.
34:18I love a Highland cow.
34:20If I was to live here, the cows wouldn't be an issue.
34:23And they've got big horns, these ones.
34:25Nothing to me.
34:27Christopher, what do you think of the location?
34:29It's spectacularly beautiful.
34:30I love the remoteness and I like the...
34:33The end seems quite flat and then suddenly at this end it gets all so crinkly.
34:37Yeah, yeah, yeah.
34:38It's beautiful, really beautiful.
34:39I mean, the thing about these houses in such exposed places is they generally are pebble dashed,
34:45which is a bit of a...
34:46You know, you've got to get past that because I don't particularly like pebbled ash,
34:51but it's okay.
34:52It looks like it's reasonably well maintained.
34:55I like the fact the windows are all painted dark.
34:58And it looks like it's been built for weather.
35:00Yeah.
35:01Yeah, it looks solid.
35:02Let's go and investigate.
35:03Shall we have a look?
35:04Yeah.
35:05Come, come.
35:07Thought to have been built in the late Victorian era,
35:10this detached farmhouse is typical of many on Islay.
35:15Inside, the porch makes for a handy keeper of wellies and waterproofs
35:19and leads into the welcoming hall.
35:22Lovely stone floors and very spacious feel to it.
35:28This is the main sitting space.
35:31Very nice high ceiling, yeah.
35:33Gorgeous.
35:34And the view's just there, isn't it?
35:36Yeah.
35:37It's fantastic.
35:38What are your thoughts, Janet?
35:39Well, it's a lovely proportioned room.
35:42It's clearly been looked after by someone who's got good taste.
35:47So it's a very pleasing room to be in, just the way that it is.
35:51You've got a view from every window.
35:54Yeah, it's an impressive room.
35:57And what's also nice, because often in Victorian houses,
35:59the kitchens were stuck at the back where the servants were,
36:02but here they've put it at the front, so it's also got lots of light.
36:06Here's the kitchen, which is, oh, I love it!
36:10It's a real old country kitchen.
36:14This is great.
36:15Again, it's good to have such a light kitchen.
36:18Yeah.
36:19With my main beef about kitchens is a lack of light.
36:23That's fabulous.
36:24Down the back you've got a kind of walk-in pantry,
36:27but you've also got this gigantic utility room at the back of the house,
36:30which is really lovely.
36:32So this is more of like a social kitchen.
36:34This is actually where you would eat.
36:36This is good, yeah.
36:37It's a good-sized kitchen to eat in.
36:39It's interesting, Janet, when you, I think you quite like this,
36:42you're much more subdued than when you don't like something where there's more animation.
36:47Yeah, well, because it happens to kind of resonate with me.
36:50It's got character, and it's decorated in a characterful way,
36:54so that's good. I'm fine with that.
36:58Janet is clearly seeing the potential of this property,
37:01and I'm delighted.
37:04Downstairs there's a small study.
37:06However, I'm imagining Janet would prefer to write in a room with a view,
37:10like the conservatory, perhaps, which they're checking out by themselves.
37:16I mean, the position of this is fantastic.
37:18I'd take this off and start again.
37:20You think it's too hideous?
37:22It just feels a little bit like...
37:23I know you've been a bit of a snorp about the fattest plastic windows.
37:26It feels a bit like those places where people were kind of wheeled out
37:30to take the sunshine on.
37:31Yeah, it's an old people's sun lounge.
37:33Yeah.
37:34I'm an old person now.
37:36I'm finding the plus side of this structure.
37:38Well, maybe this is ideal for you.
37:39Upstairs there are four double bedrooms.
37:43For her principal, Janet can choose between the largest room
37:47or a slightly smaller one that comes with an en-suite shower.
37:51So, let's go in this bedroom.
37:53Ooh, is this the master, do you think?
37:56Don't know, it smells damp.
37:58Yeah.
37:59I think this feels really nice.
38:00Yeah.
38:01Really nice.
38:02You're just drawn to the view.
38:03But I do like these deep window returns, so it feels like you're sort of...
38:06Yeah.
38:07...protected a bit from the...
38:08Wind.
38:09It feels so cosy.
38:10Yeah.
38:11A family bathroom more than does the job, but it could be a great little project.
38:19Unless, of course, she's eyeing up a bigger challenge in the remaining two bedrooms.
38:23It's a single bed.
38:24I quite like this.
38:25I would sleep here.
38:26A little monastic cell.
38:27I hate single beds.
38:28A decent sized room, but they've obviously cut it into it to make a bathroom or another room.
38:37So...
38:38Yeah.
38:39You could use...
38:40Maybe there's a way of changing that to use.
38:41Yeah.
38:42Okay.
38:43Let's have a look at the other room.
38:45All right.
38:46Immediately you take that wall out.
38:48Yeah.
38:49Just no question.
38:50You want a bedroom with front and back aspects.
38:52Yeah.
38:53So that's it.
38:54Full stop.
38:55It's such a contrast to the houses in Suffolk where there's a lot of commentary, but not much
38:59engagement here.
39:00I can hear Christopher and Janet really kind of thinking about what they would do, what they
39:04would get rid of, what they would change.
39:06That's good engagement.
39:07Oh, yeah.
39:08Share them.
39:09All right.
39:10It's a bit like a TARDIS.
39:11Well, that's perfectly okay.
39:13And I wonder where that is.
39:15Is that the house, which I think is just tremendous?
39:19Is it the location?
39:20Is it the combination of both?
39:23It is hard to imagine a better setting, but beyond the views, there's also opportunity.
39:28Three substantial barns lie in the grounds, two of which are empty.
39:33One is used for storage.
39:35But there's tons of this, look.
39:40Plenty of scope for...
39:41Okay.
39:42Oh, I love the corrugated roof.
39:45Oh, my God.
39:46Oh, how fabulous.
39:48Look at this.
39:49This is amazing.
39:50Treasure trove.
39:51This is fantastic.
39:52Yeah.
39:53And it goes around in a sort of quadrangle.
39:55So you can have...
39:56Right.
39:57So you've got a full set of outbuildings.
39:58You could put...
39:59With leaky roofs.
40:00Yes.
40:01And these.
40:02And then you could have the top floor of the thing undisturbed.
40:04Well, it's made me think...
40:05Undisturbed.
40:06I would not make this space into anything more than a fabulous space perhaps to work in.
40:14But this is a big, costly project.
40:16Yeah, I don't know what you'd do with this.
40:18It's a bit of a folly, let's be honest.
40:20It's a good folly, though.
40:21It's a nice folly.
40:23On a plot of just under an acre, the farmhouse enjoys a south-east-facing garden overlooking
40:29the surrounding RSPB nature reserve and the cliffs beyond.
40:34It's a view that stops you in your tracks.
40:37But has the house had the same effect on Janet and Christopher?
40:41You were away for ages.
40:45That's a good sign.
40:46Yeah.
40:47How did you find the outbuildings?
40:49They were quite exciting.
40:50Yeah, we were just indulging our fantasies, really.
40:53Is it a money pit, you know?
40:55But it doesn't have to be done at once.
40:57I mean, it's a project that there's a lot of outbuilding.
41:01Yeah, but at my age, I don't let it...
41:03I wouldn't be hanging about.
41:04I'd be doing it straight off.
41:06So I guess you need to know how much it costs.
41:09Yeah.
41:10What do you think the price is of this one?
41:12Low $300,000.
41:14$330,000.
41:15$340,000.
41:16$340,000.
41:17$340,000.
41:18What do you think, Christopher?
41:19I would say $320,000.
41:21Ah, even lower.
41:23OK, so this, you may be surprised to know, is on the market for offers over $550,000.
41:29Your market research has failed you.
41:34Totally.
41:35Significance.
41:36Significance.
41:37Having been personally awarded a B- for my efforts in Suffolk, I feel we're heading
41:43closer to top marks with this detached farmhouse.
41:47It more than lives up to Janet's hopes for sea views and solitude.
41:52And at offers over £550,000, it sits well within her million-pound budget.
41:58We do have another house up our sleeve.
42:01Oh, thank goodness.
42:02Because I've come a long way.
42:04I just don't want a choice of one.
42:07Shall we go?
42:08Yeah.
42:09Whether property shopping in Scotland or England, the good news is you don't need a million-pound
42:25budget to bag a property with a sea view.
42:28Take this detached home in the popular coastal town of Southwold in Suffolk, where our search
42:35began.
42:36With two bedrooms and a veranda that leads straight onto the dunes, it's available for £500,000.
42:47A similar budget on Islay would get you this large detached home with three reception rooms
42:53and five bedrooms.
42:55It's elevated gardens offer views to Loch Gorm and the Paps of Jura and is priced at offers
43:02over £495,000.
43:05For our finale, we're not straying far, remaining on the Eau Peninsula but travelling slightly
43:26inland.
43:27We're now within four miles of the town of Port Ellen, though you'd never guess it out
43:32here.
43:34The property we're visiting is one of two nearby holiday lets currently on the market.
43:40Yet their turfed roofs blend so seamlessly into the landscape that each feels entirely secluded.
43:47As you may have gathered, Janet is a hard audience to please.
43:53And for a mystery house, well, what do you show someone who is really a striking, sharp-edged feature
44:02of the national landscape?
44:04Well, you show her something like this.
44:08With its sense of splendid isolation, sweeping sea views and impeccable design, I'm hoping
44:15this is the one that finally wins over Janet and Christopher.
44:19Ta-da!
44:29This is the mystery house.
44:30Wow.
44:31Wow.
44:32It looks like a spaceship has landed.
44:34It does, like an alien eyebrow, right?
44:36It's a bit hobbity as well.
44:37It's kind of nestled in its nature.
44:39It's got a nod to the hobbits, yes.
44:41Yeah.
44:42No, I love it.
44:43It sits very well in the landscape.
44:44Yeah.
44:45I'm not too happy with seeing the roof of that house there, but now I'm being really
44:49picky.
44:50And I don't like the fence, except there are cows everywhere.
44:55There are cows.
44:56Yeah.
44:57Christopher, any thoughts from the architecture?
44:58I really like the way it's sort of satin to the hillside.
45:01The rock fits in, doesn't it?
45:03It's really successfully done.
45:05It's lovely.
45:06The colour scheme of the materials just blends right in.
45:10And it looks solid.
45:11It looks like it's not going to be at the mercy of the elements.
45:14It's a robust structure.
45:15Shall we go inside?
45:16Yeah.
45:17Yes.
45:18This stone-clad lodge has a living roof and a ground-source heat pump to make it super
45:25eco-friendly.
45:26Built 13 years ago, its centrepiece is the open-plan living space.
45:31Oh wow, what a big room.
45:36This is great.
45:37You can't tell it's going to be this big from outside.
45:40And it's got 180 degrees of view.
45:45You've got underfloor heating under this native stove floor.
45:48It's cosy.
45:49Yeah.
45:50And you've got a nice big kitchen here with a stove.
45:52I know you're a great chef.
45:53Well, I'm not a chef.
45:54I'm a decent cook.
45:58Yeah, it's a good-sized kitchen.
46:01I ate the worktop, obviously.
46:03Nothing's perfect.
46:04Nothing is perfect.
46:05Love the space.
46:08I just think the space suits one person as much as it suits four.
46:13So, it's really good.
46:15And I could see myself in this house by myself, perfectly happy.
46:20You are tucked away here.
46:22You haven't got anyone overlooking you at all.
46:25Is this rented out?
46:27These are holiday lets, I believe, at the moment.
46:29Well, it's decorated to a very good standard for a holiday let.
46:32Yeah.
46:33It really is.
46:34If I rented this for a holiday let, I'd be absolutely pleased.
46:37It's very cosy.
46:38There's an outdoor bath.
46:40Because there's a sauna.
46:42Oh!
46:43Yes.
46:44How lovely.
46:45Yeah.
46:46Do you like a sauna?
46:47I love a sauna.
46:48Me too.
46:49And then a plunge pool, the ice cold water.
46:50Do you do that?
46:51No.
46:52Not so much.
46:53This would be a great house for me to write in.
46:55Yes.
46:56Really, really great house to work in.
46:58It's really good.
47:00I'm a keen writer myself and I can't think of a better view to stir the imagination.
47:05And when you're done writing page turners, there's only one place to head to decompress.
47:11Oh my goodness, the sauna.
47:13It's actually quite spacious.
47:15It is a spacious sauna.
47:17Right, get in.
47:19Oh, yeah.
47:24Yeah.
47:25I'm not feeling it.
47:26You're not feeling it?
47:27No.
47:28Well, we haven't got to switch the sauna on.
47:29How many people could you get in here?
47:31Because you're going to only...
47:32I would never share the sauna with more than one.
47:34I don't know about you.
47:36Get out.
47:37I wouldn't be sharing with anybody.
47:40When it comes to bedrooms, there are two to choose from, both en suite.
47:45Oh, wow.
47:46It's big rooms.
47:47Spacious.
47:48I love the ceiling.
47:49Yeah, it's great, isn't it?
47:51Oh, look at the view from the bed.
47:54It's a pretty good view.
47:55I mean, you would lie in bed and watch it all happening.
47:58I mean, you wouldn't need to have a garden.
48:00No, I don't want a garden.
48:01You just let the scrub grow up to the edge.
48:03It's lovely.
48:04Yeah.
48:05And I mean, I could imagine putting artwork in here.
48:08Yeah.
48:09Having lovely rugs.
48:10It'd be a great place to sit and read.
48:11Yeah.
48:13When Janet's liked a property in the past, she and Christopher have enjoyed talking in detail
48:18about how she could make it her own.
48:21In this property with almost nothing to change, Janet's free to picture how life might actually feel here.
48:28Second room's also really good size, and you wouldn't really squabble over who got what bedroom.
48:33No.
48:34I think this is great, too.
48:36And the bathroom's nice, though.
48:39This is great.
48:40I mean, there's a...
48:41This is like a bathroom I would design for me.
48:45You walk in, you can put your arms out, and it's two metres across.
48:51Garden-wise, there's roughly half an acre of grassed grounds that come with the property,
48:56though when the weather turns, I'd be inclined to enjoy it from the comfort of the sofa.
49:01Ooh, it's bracing out here.
49:03Yeah, it certainly is.
49:04Good for the soul.
49:05Actually, this is a nice aspect of the house.
49:07What do you think of the house now from having seen inside?
49:10I really, really like the house.
49:12It's got a lovely, lovely sense of space inside it.
49:16So, you know you gave us those cards the other day?
49:19Mm-hmm.
49:20I kept two.
49:21I nicked them.
49:22Oh.
49:23When we played fab or drab.
49:26How are we doing with this one?
49:28Yay!
49:29Fab!
49:30OK.
49:31What does a fab property in this location cost, though?
49:35I've got an idea in my head.
49:37Do you want to go first this time, Christopher?
49:39I'm going to say £460,000.
49:44No, I think £375,000.
49:46Well, Janet, you were wildly out on the last one, but you are spot on for this one.
49:51What?
49:52Amazing!
49:53That's amazing!
49:54Amazing!
49:55Well, offers over £375,000.
49:58So is way out again.
49:59I think it's worth £375,000.
50:04Easily within budget, this private lodge promises peace, sea views and just the right amount of luxury,
50:11leaving Janet beaming from ear to ear.
50:14It could be a hideaway for all seasons, and to put that to the test, we've got a little surprise in store.
50:22Now, you did mention that you could imagine spending time here writing.
50:25Yeah, I did.
50:26Would you like to spend this evening here?
50:28How fantastic!
50:29We've booked it for you, too.
50:30Have you?
50:31Yeah.
50:32Oh, how lovely!
50:33Can't wait!
50:34Can we go in the sauna?
50:35You can go in the sauna.
50:36I can make Christopher have a cold bath.
50:38I've checked there's actually warm water as well, so you can get it warm for you.
50:41Excellent.
50:42But I thought it would be nice to have a test run, right?
50:44Yes.
50:45Yeah.
50:46I think we're going to have supper here, then, as well.
50:47Well, save me something for breakfast, because I'll come see you.
50:49That's exciting.
50:50That's exciting.
50:51Oh, I'm really excited.
50:52Yeah, we'll bring your bags and you can settle in.
50:54Excellent.
50:55Gosh, I'm really excited.
50:58With their belongings brought in from the car, Janet and Christopher are free to settle
51:03into the lodge for their Hebridean test drive.
51:06Are we going to squabble over who gets what?
51:07I'm not going to fight.
51:08I think.
51:09I don't like the fact that it's too bad to put you together, so I'm going to give it
51:13to you.
51:14Okay.
51:15All right.
51:16All right.
51:17So this is yours?
51:18Yeah.
51:19Marvellous.
51:20As long as it's long enough.
51:21You're going to hear me snoring through the partition.
51:22Hang on, let me listen to the wall.
51:25Ooh.
51:26Well, I've got my earplugs anyway.
51:27That's probably going to be mercy.
51:29The weather for once is on their side, so Janet, Christopher and the stag decide to
51:36make the most of it.
51:38So with boots laced and spirits high, they head out on their own to explore the island.
51:44Could you cope with this, do you think?
51:47Could I live here all year round?
51:49No.
51:50No, but I'd come here all the time.
51:53I'd miss it when I wasn't here, and I'd think about it when I was in London.
52:00And you could write your columns here and make your plans for world domination from
52:06James Bondiary.
52:08Ha-ha.
52:09After a windswept wonder along Kilnorton Bay, it's on to Port Ellen to secure dinner,
52:16and something suitably Scottish.
52:18It's really beautiful.
52:19Lovely.
52:20Then back to the lodge to unwind while dinner cooks.
52:25Here I am in the sauna.
52:27Ha-ha.
52:28Ha-ha.
52:29Very relaxing.
52:31Drucking a bit more water on.
52:33Excellent.
52:34Now, why isn't my cameraman in the bath outside in the freezing cold wind?
52:41Doesn't, um, attract me, strangely.
52:44Goodbye.
52:45Goodbye.
52:46A few final touches to the table.
52:52There we go.
52:55And dinner is served.
52:57And we're off.
52:58Delicious.
52:59Fantastic lobster dinner.
53:01Boiled Scottish potatoes, courgettes, fennel and rocket salad, cooked with hot courgettes,
53:08cooked by me, beautiful grilled lobster, grilled by Christopher.
53:14Excellent.
53:15Delicious.
53:16Well, cheers.
53:17Right, let's start.
53:19As night falls, the lodge and its guests settle into the stillness of island life.
53:32And by the morning, the sky is awash with pink, glowing just as brightly as I hope Janet
53:43and Christopher are after their overnight stay.
53:46Sadly, by the time my alarm sounds, the weather has dramatically turned.
53:51This is proper Scottish weather.
53:58It's a wee bit dry.
54:00But it's nothing some tea and pastries can't fix.
54:03Good morning.
54:04Hello.
54:05Hello.
54:06We've seen an incredible range of property in two stunning locations, but how are Janet
54:13and Christopher feeling as the search draws to a close?
54:18Well, it feels like we've been house hunting for weeks.
54:21I know.
54:22It's taken its toll.
54:23But how did you sleep in here?
54:25Really well.
54:26Really, really well.
54:27And how was your lobster?
54:29The lobster was absolutely memorable.
54:32I think if I lived here, I'd be on a seafood diet.
54:36It would just be absolutely fantastic.
54:38Because you fish, right?
54:39You fish.
54:40I fish.
54:41I can catch mackerel.
54:42Well, it's a shame we're not doing a cookery show, but we are actually doing a property
54:45show.
54:46What are your feelings about living here?
54:48Yeah.
54:49What about this property?
54:50The reality is that when we sat here last night and the light was going down and the
54:55cows came right up to the fence, I immediately said to Christopher, do you know, I'm going
55:01to rent this for a whole week to see what it feels like when you're here day after day,
55:09and then take it from there?
55:11So I don't have to read between the lines very deeply to see that this is probably your
55:15favourite of all the houses we've shown you?
55:17Well, it's definitely my favourite.
55:19I don't know about Christopher.
55:20You're more the one buying it.
55:21Yeah, but I don't know about him because he doesn't always agree with me.
55:24What do you think?
55:26I love this house, but I would be more excited by owning the one on the hill here.
55:31Yeah.
55:32Just because it was more dramatic and more on its own and more thrilling.
55:36It was strangely thrilling.
55:37Yeah.
55:38Yeah.
55:39And overall, do you feel that we've shown Janet a good spread of properties?
55:44Absolutely.
55:45I'm very sad about Suffolk because it's my county and I love it, but I could see it didn't
55:52offer Janet the combination of elements that she required.
55:56How has it been for you, Janet?
55:57Has it been a worthwhile experience?
55:59Oh, I've loved it.
56:00I've come to Scotland at the drop of a hat.
56:02It's been a pleasure.
56:03It's been a pleasure.
56:04I've loved it.
56:05It's been great fun.
56:07Who's in the loop?
56:08I'll keep you in the loop.
56:09Send us some pictures of what you do with the decor.
56:12Certainly not.
56:21Ah, splendid Scottish weather.
56:23Now, I know I've looked completely cool and composed on the outside, but I have, on
56:27the inside, been quite nervous this week because Janet is famously outspoken and she's
56:32also very, very knowledgeable about property.
56:35But I think it all paid off.
56:37The journey from Suffolk to Scotland was a big hit and it's very lovely to see how much
56:42she treasures the silence and stillness here in Islay.
56:47And she's going to book the Mystery House for another week's trial run.
56:50So I hope the weather brightens and I hope you join us next time for more Escape to the Country.
56:57If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales,
57:04remember, you don't need to be famous.
57:07So why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
57:13Take part.
57:14Take part.
57:16Take part.
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