Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is set to appear on ITV's James Martin's Saturday Morning on Saturday, November 7, where he will discuss his work with the Royal British Legion and his career in design and television. The 61-year-old interior designer and TV host rose to fame on the BBC's 90s home makeover show Changing Rooms, known for his bold designs and love of MDF.
From Changing Rooms to Celebrity Bear Hunt
Since his breakout role, Llewelyn-Bowen has presented shows including Popstar to Operastar, The Auction Party and The Apartment. More recently, he appeared as a contestant on Bear Grylls' Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt and presented the four-part series Outrageous Homes with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
For the third consecutive year, he has designed a bespoke pattern for the Royal British Legion. The latest design was created from a three-poppy painting inspired by Cecil Beaton and René Gruau.
A Unique Family Living Arrangement
Llewelyn-Bowen and his wife Jackie have been together for more than 40 years and share two children and four grandchildren. The couple live in their Cotswold mansion with their grown-up daughters, Hermione and Cecile, along with their husbands and children.
He first revealed the setup in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying: "I still think a lot of people think it is a bit strange. But actually, it is a very kind of straightforward and instinctive way of a family being together." He added: "It's a very, very odd idea that came out of the 20th century, this idea of children leaving the home. Actually, traditionally, you stayed if you all worked on the farm together or you worked in the shop together, so in a funny sort of way, we just kind of reviving that, but it made great sense for us."
He explained: "You know, we live in a big house. It was very much just me and Jackie. Why do we not then bring the children and their children in with us?" On managing daily family life, he said: "There are moments where you've got to work quite hard. But I think that happens in any family."
The 'Career Disaster' of Changing Rooms
Llewelyn-Bowen has previously described Changing Rooms as a "career disaster" in an interview with Best magazine. He joined the BBC programme as a designer in 1996, took over as main presenter in 2003 following Carol Smillie's departure, and continued until the series ended in 2004. Channel 4 revived the show in 2021 with Anna Richardson as host, but it was axed after two series.
When asked about career disasters, he said: "Changing Rooms! It was the end of my career as a high-end interior designer. I went from being 'Lacroix' to 'William Morris' overnight. But I've always believed you turn snakes into ladders. I lost around 10 clients, but suddenly had eight million people watching my programmes."
On public perceptions, he declared: "I don't care what people think. Bringing Changing Rooms back in 2021 was fascinating because when it ended in 2004, there was no social media. When it returned, suddenly there was this torrent of commentary. And I loved it." James Martin's Saturday Morning airs on ITV1 on November 7 at 9.30am.
