Grand Designs to return to Channel 4 with seven brand new episodes

24 July 2018

In this brand-new series of Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud accompanies more determined people on the road to realising the dream of building their own home. As ever Kevin will follow each build from dream to reality as each family contends with contractors, money worries and the elements. Nerves and patience are tested but as always Kevin is on hand with sage advice, reassurance and his famously arch reactions to these ever bolder, Grand Designs.

This new series features a wide range of unique and extraordinary builds including;

Aylesbury Vale

Spanish architect Jimmy and his wife Mimi embark on an epic mission to convert a Grade II* listed folly into a family home. Gutted by fire, crumbling stonework and built on an Anglo-Saxon burial ground - this project has a wealth of issues. If life wasn't complicated enough there's also a new baby on the way.

Padstow

Harry and Briony have made a radical change to their lives, leaving London in favour of the rugged coastline of North Cornwall. But the ambitious steel and glass surf house they intend to build is even more radical – inspired by The Ben Rose House, a modernist classic designed by architect James Speyer and famously featured in the cult 80s film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. 

Richmond

Born and Elinor have a very niche set of challenges to consider when building their dream home as both their sons suffer from life-threatening allergies. To ensure their home is as safe as possible they want to build a cutting-edge 'health house', constructed with low toxin materials and featuring a mechanical ventilation system to filter the air.

Lewes

Adrian and Megan’s project is based around a highly unusual concept for a family dwelling: a home built entirely from concrete, cast on site. The project is a culmination of Adrian’s love affair with concrete that began when he was a semi-professional skateboarder in Aberdeen. But time will tell if a building made from such a cold, stark material can provide a fitting environment for Adrian, Megan and their three young children. 

Leominster

Alex and Steph’s modular style black barn-house is set in an old gravel pit on the site of Steph’s grandparents farm and is the culmination of a 20-year quest to return to live in a place she’s loved all her life. The architect is also Steph’s oldest friend and they played together on the site as children. Together they have created a house with an agricultural corrugated steel roof and aluminium cladding which aims to look like a traditional Herefordshire barn from the road.

Sheffield

Identical twins Nik and Jon live next door to each other, they work together, they drive the same car, they even have the same dog. Now they have decided to build two modern-industrial homes side-by-side for themselves and their families. The houses are perched on stilts with giant floor to ceiling windows maximising the views across a picturesque mill pond. 

East Devon Revisit

Once again Grand Designs revisits the ‘King of Cob’ Kevin McCabe, so called as he is a master in the ancient art of cob building, wrestling houses out of mud and straw with his bare hands. But he didn’t just want to build another cob house, he wanted to build a cob castle. A truly almighty challenge when you factor in that he also wanted the building to meet the highest environmental performance targets ever set. The original episode was broadcast 2013 when the house didn't even have windows. Now in 2018, Kevin McCabe has finally completed his soil and straw masterpiece.

Cal Turner, Executive Producer for Boundless said: ‘We’re delighted that Grand Designs is back for 2018 with more incredible stories that document the reality of the highs and lows of building your own home.’

Kevin McCloud said: ‘We’ve squeezed the juice out of the plumpest of British architectural fruit to bring you the 2018 series - and, as ever, explored areas of design and self-build that we’ve never investigated before, from what it takes to build a healthy, toxin-free home to the perils of turning an ancient ruined folly into a home. The usual ambitious, crazy, wholesome fare that makes Grand Designs what it is.’  

Grand Designs is a 7 x 60’ part series produced by Boundless (part of the FremantleMedia UK). It was commissioned by Ian Dunkley, Factual Entertainment Commissioning Editor, Channel 4. Boundless’ Executive Producer is Cal Turner and Boundless’ Series Producer is John Lonsdale.

 

ENDS

Boundless (part of FremantleMedia UK)

Boundless is the factual entertainment label of FremantleMedia UK, the UK arm of global media giant FremantleMedia. A powerhouse in scripted and non-scripted content, FremantleMedia also comprises a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division, and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world’s largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia’s comprehensive global network has operations in 31 countries, creating over 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 45 formats and managing over 350 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories.

 

Currently on air and in production:

Great Australian Railway Journeys (BBC Two), Great British Railway Journeys (BBC Two), Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC Two), Escape to the Country (BBC One), Love in the Countryside (BBC Two), The Apprentice (BBC One), You’re Fired (BBC Two), Grand Designs (Channel 4), My Grand Design w/t (Channel 4), Grand Designs: House of the Year (Channel 4).