Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah said she was "obsessed" with one property as the BBC show helped two house hunters search for a home in Devon. During Wednesday's (August 26) episode, Sonali assisted Matt and Jamie in finding a rural dream home in and around the county in South West England.
Couple's £550,000 budget for family home
Jamie, an NHS genetic counsellor based in Wantage, Oxfordshire, and her partner Matt, an aerospace engineer living in Eastleigh, Hampshire, had a budget of £550,000. They hoped the house would become a family home in the future.
When Sonali visited the third property on her list, she shared her excitement, saying: "Our mystery house is all about location, and I can't wait to see their reaction about being smack bang in the middle of the village. The house itself, oh my word."
First-floor laundry room wins approval
The host later told Jamie and Matt: "I'm going to be straight, I am obsessed with this house," before Jamie called it a "dream home." The Georgian house, in Ipplepen, offered four bedrooms and two reception rooms in the heart of the village, priced at £530,000.
As the couple explored the home, they were particularly struck by a first-floor laundry room. Matt said: "It's a clever use of space, actually," as Jamie replied: "It is a really smart idea. You're not having to lug washing baskets up and down the stairs every five minutes. I don't know why everyone doesn't do that."
Despite Jamie praising the "perfection" of the interior design, she noted the garden offered no room for a workshop — a potential dealbreaker. Matt conceded the home fell short of their "practical needs", yet remained keen.
Offer accepted on Mutterton cottage
Later in the episode, which originally aired in 2024, the couple revealed the outcome of their search. They announced they had placed an offer on the very first property, with Matt saying: "After seeing the second and third one, the first was the best fit for us."
Their offer was accepted, and Matt and Jamie purchased a 19th-century cottage in Mutterton, on the market for £550,000, with three bedrooms, an annexe, and a sizeable kitchen. Escape to the Country airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
