Josie Gibson has said she is “so broke” after using her life savings to renovate her house. The This Morning star has been transforming her home, with the makeover the subject of her ITV series, Josie Gibson’s Big Country Build.
Renovation plans revealed
Announcing the programme last year, ITV said: “The TV favourite is about to undertake an ambitious plan to transform her dilapidated Somerset property into a modern, 21st-century abode, with cameras following the chaos and commotion that will no doubt unfold.”
Josie also said at the time: “My dream is to build a house as eco and luxurious as possible where you are immersed in the sanctuary of nature. I want to use the acres of land to try and do my best to have a little small holding. I want bees, birds, badgers, to all live in harmony.”
Financial strain admitted
But now, Josie has said she has been left more out of pocket than she expected, having had to put a lot of money into the house, as she admitted she “didn’t plan properly” when the renovations began.
Speaking on Katherine Ryan’s What’s My Age Again? podcast, the former Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here star said: “I will just say I am so broke now. I’ve taken every bit of every life saving I’ve ever had.”
She added: “It’s been a headache. I had a bad start. I had a really bad start. I probably didn’t plan properly. And I will say this: I was thinking about the price a bit too much. So I went cheap. Where you go cheap, you buy twice.”
Progress on the build
Despite the financial commitment, Gibson is happy with the work she has done on the home. She said: “All of it I’m really proud of, even where I’ve put all the window, how I’ve incorporated the outside in, but I’m not there yet. I’m still building it. I’m just doing the interiors now.”
Josie Gibson's Big Country Build was expected to air in 2026, but it's thought that ITV pushed the seven-part series back to 2027.
