A Place In The Sun host Laura Hamilton has become a fan favourite since joining the show 14 years ago. She often receives flirty messages on social media, including marriage proposals.
“People are so nice on social media. I get some messages that surprise me a bit, though,” she says. “I get people who say things like, ‘Can you help me find a house? I’ll leave my wife at home!’ That makes me laugh.”
Fan encounters on flights
Laura is also recognised when out and about. “I get recognised quite a bit,” she reveals. “It’s nice when people come up to me because it means they love the show.”
She even gets approached by viewers at 39,000ft. “Whenever I’m on a flight, people will look at me and try to work out where they’ve seen me before. Because we’re in the air for a few hours, they have time to realise it’s me!”
“Recently I was on a flight and a man came over to me and said, ‘We’ve just put an offer in on a house… can we show you?’. He got out his phone and started showing me photos of the property. He was nervous to talk to me but I said, ‘Don’t be silly, people can always come up to me to talk about property’.”
Dealing with negativity online
If anyone sends her anything rude, she takes no notice. “I try not to get hooked up on what is being said about me online,” she says. “Ultimately, I do what I do and some people will like it and some people don’t. I don’t think there’s much point in reading negativity. If I see anything like that, I just delete it. If you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything.”
Estate agents love the show
Laura is also a big hit with estate agents. “Estate agents love the show. We are helping them sell their properties, so they’re always grateful for us,” she says. “When I see an estate agent in the UK about a property they always say, ‘Why are you seeing us when you know so much about property?’”
The show's enduring appeal
A Place In The Sun has been a fixture in Channel 4’s daytime schedule for more than a quarter of a century. “It sounds like a cliche but you do get to change people’s lives with this show,” says Laura. “You spend five days with people and you’re part of their journey. You really get to know them over the course of filming. It’s an amazing show to be part of.”
She adds: “I think the show is popular because of escapism, accessibility and it’s feel-good. Everyone wants sunshine and blue skies. I’ve been on the show for 14 years. I love people and I love property and I love travel. So the show offers the perfect ingredients and mix for me.”
Future plans and other shows
Laura is keen to keep fronting the show. “I’m just grateful that I’m still part of the family,” she admits. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be filming it all of this year… I’m doing 18 episodes, so I’ve got a busy year ahead. As long as they keep asking me back, I will keep doing the show.”
She has also appeared on Dancing on Ice and The Jump. She would love to try The Masked Singer. “I’d love to do The Masked Singer,” she admits. “I love singing. I did panto for 10 years playing Cinderella with Stephen Gately and Steve Guttenberg and Bradley Walsh and I really love singing. I haven’t had a call just yet!”
