Phil Spencer joins Channel 4 Daytime to become property's Secret Agent

8 September 2011

Helen Warner, Head of Daytime

Phil Spencer is to set up home as part of the Channel 4 daytime line-up this autumn as he comes to the aid of homeowners across the UK trapped in properties they just can't seem to sell.

After years of property boom, the housing market across the country has been stagnant and estate agents have seen the biggest rise in unsold houses since 2007.  With deposit requirements up and mortgage approvals down, it's harder than ever to sell a house. Enter Phil Spencer, who will take on the role of secret agent and work with sellers and buyers to help get the market moving again.

In Phil Spencer: Secret Agent, Phil will be sent in to sell houses stuck on the market. But before he meets the struggling homeowners he will don his surveyor's hat to assess the property, looking at it through the eyes of a buyer, as well as researching the local area and housing market.  

Armed with all the information he needs to make a realistic judgement on why the house isn't selling, he'll surprise the owners as their new agent and outline his opinions - all the good and the bad - before recommending what needs to be done to get their home sold.

Phil will then represent them and face the challenge of getting the property sold. He'll seek out potential buyers, create shiny new details to attract interest and arrange an open house viewing to bring all the prospective buyers together and, hopefully, finally make a sale.

The series has been commissioned by Head of Daytime Helen Warner for a four week run in October (20 x 60) to be produced by Raise the Roof Productions with Sarah Walmsley executive producing.

Helen Warner said: "Phil Spencer Secret Agent is a very timely show, as Phil attempts to get Britain's stagnant property market moving again. His ‘mission impossible' for every episode is to secure an offer on a house that hasn't been selling and Phil is determined to fulfil that mission, however tough it gets! Phil is a brilliant addition to the daytime line-up and we're delighted to have him on board."

Phil Spencer said: "Taking on a project to help get the housing market moving again is incredibly exciting. By working right across the country advising both buyers and sellers I'll be trying to broker as many deals as possible. It's a big challenge, but my aim is to make a real difference in the market. And just to up the ante I'm always going to be focusing on one particularly hard home to shift."