The BBC has confirmed that long-running home renovation series DIY SOS will be “rested” next year as part of the corporation’s ongoing “savings challenges”. The programme, hosted by Nick Knowles, first aired in 1999 and helps transform the homes of families facing severe illness, disability, bereavement or building disasters.
From low-budget start to The Big Build
DIY SOS began as a low-budget show with Knowles and a small team helping homeowners fix botched DIY projects, before relaunching as DIY SOS: The Big Build in 2010. The reality renovation programme shifted focus to larger-scale projects, following Knowles and his team as they repair and transform homes across Britain with the help of local communities.
The BBC has confirmed the show will be rested after its latest series, which is currently on air, but said it has not been axed. A new spin-off show revisiting families and renovation projects from its history will take its place.
Spin-off and wider cuts
A BBC spokesperson said: “In light of the BBC’s savings challenges we have taken the decision to rest DIY SOS in 2027 and commission a new spin-off show instead from producers South Shore.” The new programme, DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life, will revisit successes from the show’s past and expand the brand on the BBC in a more cost-effective way next year.
The decision comes amid a series of recent cuts by the corporation as part of the first phase of its bid to save £500 million over the next three years. These have included the cancellation of TV shows Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live At The Apollo.
Notable projects and current series
DIY SOS has taken on many ambitious projects over the years. In 2015, Knowles worked with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and hundreds of volunteers to transform a derelict street in Manchester into housing for veterans. In 2018, William returned to the programme for its two-part special supporting survivors and the community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people. The episodes saw the DIY SOS team build a new community centre and restore the Dale Youth Boxing Club, destroyed in the June 2017 fire.
The programme launched its 35th series earlier this month with an episode in which Knowles broke down in tears during a “physically and emotionally draining” house renovation. The team helped 16-year-old Dan, who spent the last three years in hospital after life-saving surgery to remove a brain tumour left him with complex disabilities. DIY SOS is available on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes airing weekly on BBC One.
