A former guest on the Channel 4 programme A Place in the Sun is feared to have died in the Spanish wildfires that swept through the southern province of Almeria last week. Malcolm Timbrell, 70, and his wife Annette Kilgore, 69, lived in the village of Bédar, which was consumed by flames on the evening of Thursday, July 9, leaving 13 people dead.
Heartbreaking Interview Before Confirmation
Malcolm became separated from his wife and a group of 12 friends and neighbours as the fire raced towards their home. In an interview aired on BBC News at Six on Monday, July 13, he shared his heartbreak. "We have had an amazing life together and now it's stopped," he told the BBC. "If we had done the sensible thing and gone the other way and let our cats die, we both would be alive. But when you've got animals, you don't think like that." He added, "We are just waiting now for DNA clarification. And after that, I will probably just fall apart."
Dream Home Found on TV
The couple from Cornwall had found their Spanish property when they appeared on A Place in the Sun in 2023. Presenter Leah Charles-King helped them locate their dream home. At the start of the episode, Annette spoke about wanting to enjoy the Spanish way of life after retiring from her job in the mental health and care sector. "We've started kayaking, which is great fun. I haven't fallen in. I now know that I don't panic when I fall in, so that's a good thing," she said.
Choosing Bédar
Although they had never visited the Almeria region before, the couple were certain it was the perfect spot for them and their cats, Charlie and Misty. "It's not as commercialised, it's smaller areas of villages, so it just seemed the perfect place," Annette explained. Malcolm added, "It will extend our adventure." Annette continued, "So, to sit and have a glass of wine in our own property that we've thought about for so long and just have that lovely feeling, 'This is ours, we've done it.'"
The Purchase and Aftermath
The couple had a budget of £200,000 for the perfect property. They found a stunning stone cottage in Bédar, listed at £215,746 at the time of filming. After a "cheeky" initial offer of £175,000 was rejected, they eventually agreed on £200,000. Leah Charles-King toasted their new journey, saying, "I'd like to make a toast to you both and just say, to your new journey. Congratulations." Malcolm responded, "I couldn't be happier at the moment," while Annette concluded, "We've just bought that Spanish beautiful stone cottage up on the top of a mountain. And that isn't what we came for! It's what we've bought because it's what we fell in love with." Their Spanish property has now been destroyed in the wildfire.
