Television presenter Amanda Holden has confessed to feeling "heartbroken" after completing what she describes as the most challenging property renovation yet for her BBC series with comedian Alan Carr.
The Most Daunting Transformation To Date
The pair, who have previously revamped homes in Italy and Spain for their shows Amanda and Alan's Italian Job and its successors, have now taken on a fourth property on the Greek island of Corfu. Speaking to Woman magazine, Carr, 49, revealed the dire state of their latest project, joking that the house lacked stairs, floors, and windows. "It had a poo," he said, adding, "And it looked like there was blood in there. It was actually red paint. So the transformation is insane."
Holden, 54, echoed the sentiment, stating, "We're always heartbroken when we leave, but this was the worst one to leave." The Britain's Got Talent judge explained that their love for Greece inspired the location choice, as she holidays there annually with her husband Chris Hughes and their daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13.
Pushing DIY Skills to the Limit
Alan Carr admitted that despite their growing DIY expertise over four series, the initial sight of the Corfu house was daunting. "What makes this one really special is that even though we're getting better at DIY, even when we saw the state of the house at the beginning - my heart genuinely sunk - but the transformation was mind-blowing," he told the BBC.
The winner of Celebrity Traitors emphasised the need to up their game each series. "We have to do things we haven't done, or people are just not going to watch," he said. "This year, we put up a floating bed that was completely out of my comfort zone, but I can't pretend I don't know what a hammer is anymore."
A Boost for Local Tourism
Amanda Holden highlighted an unexpected consequence of their popular show: a significant spike in tourism for the areas they feature. She noted that after their Sicily series, there was a rush for one-euro houses. "This is absolutely the truth - wherever we go every year the tourism goes up," she said.
She humorously added that choosing Corfu might backfire on her personal holiday plans. "I know I've shot myself in the foot doing the show in Corfu - everyone's going to go! Because it's just so gorgeous… It is beautiful!"
The first series saw the duo buy two run-down properties in Salemi, Sicily, for one euro each, eventually selling one for over £125,000 and donating the proceeds to Children in Need and Comic Relief. Their latest venture, Amanda and Alan's Greek Job, continues this Friday at 9pm on BBC One.
