Nick of TIME
DIY SOS presenter goes on a trip to his biggest builds from the past 20 years
DIY SOS: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS BBC1, 8pm
WHERE else would you see 50 builders in hardhats with tears rolling down their eyes? Or Prince William wielding a hammer? Or Nick Knowles being ‘squashed’ by a falling bathtub?
Since DIY SOS first aired back in October 1999, it has become a bit of a cult hit, regularly pulling in seven million viewers. Over the years, some 20,000 volunteers have helped
Nick and his team complete 205 builds across the country, worth more than £16 million. That’s some proud boast.
Time then for a brief moment to pat itself on the back, revisit some of the communities the show has helped, and remind us of how floppy Nick’s hair used to be back in the 90s.
From single-room makeovers, to knocking down houses and once even rebuilding a whole street, the show has certainly upped its market value in two decades.
“It’s changed immeasurably,” says Nick.
“It started out as six people having a laugh and decorating a single room and it has grown to 62 derelict houses being turned into homes for veterans, or building a gym for the youth and a community centre for the community of Grenfell.
“It has far greater impact and reach than we ever imagined.”
In this one-off episode, Nick travels across the UK to revisit some of the biggest builds and meets new people who continue to benefit.
There is also a nod to some of the funny moments that have caught builders unaware over the years.
It’s a nostalgic look at a format that really has nailed it.