Duo renovate a Sicilian home for BBC One show

Alan Carr and Amanda Holden are to renovate a crumbling Sicilian property  for a new eight-part BBC One series.

The real-life friends will be following in the footsteps of the ‘One Euro’ home-buyers, taking advantage of a scheme that sells off vacant houses in some parts of Italy  for €1 to those prepared to renovate and restore them.

Both stars have renovated their own properties in the past, but the BBC says neither of them has tackled a project of this scale before. They’ll try their hand at everything - from plumbing to painting and plastering - but will also be drafting in local tradespeople to show them the ropes and help keep the project on track.

Carr said: ‘After presenting two series of Interior Design Masters, I feel now it’s time for me to pop my hard hat on, slip on my steel-toe-capped boots and really get my hands dirty. 

‘Working in beautiful Sicily with one of my dearest friends is like I’ve won the jackpot. Expect a summer of drilling, demolition and hopefully la dolce vita.’

Holden added: ‘Alan and I came up with the idea for this show together and approached the BBC as we knew it was the perfect home.

’We are both very passionate about interior design and we'll be very hands-on, injecting some much-needed life into an area of Sicily that's in need of some Holden and Carr magic. Although we're on the same page most of the time, I'm more practical and organised than Alan. However, he's up for some shameless bargaining, so that will help us keep on budget.

‘We've already started filming, and one thing's for sure, we're not shy of a power tool.’

At the end of the summer, the property will go on sale and all the profits will be donated to charity.

Published: 21 May 2022