Simon Davis to present Country House Rescue

Simon Davis is to present Channel 4's Country House Rescue when it returns for a fourth series in 2012.

The series, made by Betty, takes viewers behind the scenes of some of the most beautiful houses in Britain. Simon will meet and stay with their owners, who are facing financial ruin and are struggling to maintain their crumbling stately homes.

Some have let the properties decline through lack of funds, inherited an already neglected house or bought a property without realising just how costly it is to maintain these mansions - and Simon will attempt to turn them from money pit into money spinning mansions.

Simon has written about travel, food and architecture for publications including The Daily Telegraph, Conde Nast Traveller, Country Life and on the London Evening Standard. He runs his own consultancy, events and publishing business and in 2010 he was Gordon Ramsay's ‘Secret Diner' in Channel 4 series Ramsay's Best Restaurant.

The series was commissioned by Channel 4 Deputy Features Commissioning Editor Katie Horswell, and is executive produced by David Emerson.

Simon said: "I have an unbridled love of the country house and believe passionately that they, and the public, are best served by these properties staying in the hands of the original owners and being made to work to survive. Our great country homes need to function as they did when they were first built. They need to be culturally inspiring but above all they've got to be places where people go to be entertained."

Katie Horswell said: "I'm very excited about this fourth series of the much loved Country House Rescue - and this time round, there will be even more beautiful houses, fabulous makeovers and extraordinary families."