BBC viewers have been given a raw insight into the daunting reality behind a picturesque dream, as the married couple behind the new series Grand Island Hotel confessed to facing a 'logistical nightmare' that left them questioning their decisions.
A Dream Turned Daunting Reality
Ro and Banjo, the husband duo starring in the BBC programme, embarked on an ambitious quest to transform the dilapidated Ulva House into 'the grandest little hotel in the Hebrides.' The series follows Banjo, who appeared as a judge on Scotland's Home of the Year in 2025, and his wife as they take on a property suffering from decades of mould, damp, and decay across its 27 rooms.
Appearing on Wednesday's episode of Morning Live with hosts Gethin Jones and Louise Minchin, the pair opened up about the sheer scale of the challenge. Footage from the show's opening episode revealed their first steps into a sparse hallway, the future reception area, which immediately triggered regret.
'The Biggest Mistake of My Life'
When asked for his first impression, Banjo was brutally honest: "What have we done! We've made the biggest mistake of my life." He explained that by the time they realised the enormity of the task, it was too late to back out. "We'd signed on the dotted line, and we're in too deep already," he told the presenters.
The isolation of the location compounds every difficulty. Banjo revealed the building is on an island off the coast of another island, with no roads. "To get anything to our house it's 15 minutes up a goat track and on the world's smallest ferry, so it's a logistical nightmare," he said. Confirming the venture had been described as his 'biggest regret,' Banjo admitted, "We were questioning all our life choices the entire way through this."
Funding Fears and a New Restaurant Venture
With limited funds rapidly depleting, the next episode, airing on Monday, will see the couple forced to find a new income stream to finance their hotel dreams. Their plan involves a second huge project: turning the tired Boathouse Cafe into a destination restaurant.
The summary for the upcoming episode states they must keep the cafe trading while simultaneously renovating it with an ambitious shipwreck-inspired aesthetic. To meet their looming opening night, they will need to call in master craftspeople and scenic artists from far and wide.
Both Morning Live and Banjo & Ro's Grand Island Hotel are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
