George Clarke is our favourite TV architect. And with the 105th Ideal Home Show coming up in March, it was the perfect excuse to catch up with him for a quick chat.
He’s told us all about his plans for 2025 and what’s going on with his TV shows, Restoration Man and Amazing Spaces.
That’s not to mention his work as a housing advisor to the government and what he would do to the Houses of Parliament if he could get his hands on them…
Which of your own TV episodes did you most enjoy this year?
That’s a tricky one! I think maybe the Amazing Spaces series as it just feels very new and fresh. I mean I love making Restoration Man, it’s brilliant, but the first series of Amazing Spaces, that was a big risk.
The series features campervans and caravans and you wonder if it might be a bit too geeky, but it completely took off and I’m really proud of it. It’s a very accessible series and at these times, when money is difficult for people, they’re not necessarily thinking about buying the next big project, or buying their next £300,000 house.
People are looking to things which are a bit fun and that bring a bit of sparkle to their lives.
Do you get much time to watch property TV? What’s your favourite show?
Not as much as I should – I spend most of my time making TV! But you know, Grand Designs is my main one, it’s in its twelfth season now. Just after I graduated I think Grand Designs came out, so that’s the big one that I watch.
If you could get your hands on one famous building for a conversion – which would it be?
I’d take a chunk of the Houses of Parliament, examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, and would take a section of that and turn it into affordable housing.
There’s a new housing minister in Mark Prisk – were you sad to see Grant Shapps go? How is Mark Prisk getting on?
Yeah, it’s tricky because I’m not a politician, I’m an architect and I’m in it for the long term for British housing. I must admit I do find it really bizarre that you have a relationship with a person that’s very strong and passionate like Grant Shapps was – I think he did some great work -and then all of a sudden he disappears.
That’s the hilarious thing about politics, one minute you’re on housing and the next you’re running the Ministry of Defence or something; it’s bonkers really. If I’m honest I think that’s the problem in politics – people move about and it’s too transient. It’s very short term and they’re looking to the next election.
I think Grant did a brilliant job though – an absolutely fantastic job. I’ve spoken to Mark Prisk, but I haven’t met the guy. I think he’s a surveyor by trade so I think he knows the property game and the building game first hand, which is brilliant. He’s picking up the baton from Grant, and he seems passionate, but it’s a shame to lose Grant Shapps because I worked with him very closely.
Are you enjoying your role as empty homes advisor? How is all that going?
Yeah it’s great. It’s become a bigger project really – it’s not just empty homes it’s housing generally, and it’s a bigger role now. It’s about providing affordable homes and about new builds, refurbishments.
The campaign is such a success, and so much money has been given to empty homes in the past year on the back of that campaign, I’m really proud of it – it’s becoming bigger and better.
What are your hopes for 2025?
A lot of things. I’m making Restoration Man series four and five, that’s my core brand plus series two of Amazing Spaces, in the next couple of weeks which will come out in the autumn. I’m pushing the empty homes campaign as well this year, working with the homes agency and pushing the standards of design in housing with the government too… so yeah, kind of keep pushing really!
Do you ever get the itch to move house just so that you can try out a few things with the design of your own home?
I wish it was separate to my work, but it’s a bit of an addiction really. You know every time I buy a house I make sure it’s knackered, tired and in need of TLC. I do it all up and finish it and then I get a bit twitchy really.
My builders, the guys that work with me always take the mick, because when I spec up the house I say I’m going to be here for ten years, and they kind of go ‘yeah right.’ They do it up, finish it, and then six months along I move on again. Which isn’t great actually, I need to calm down a bit.
But no absolutely, architecture is not a job for me; it’s a kind of way of life. I love it, whether I’m on holiday or working with buildings, whether I’m sketching at work, whether I’m doing lectures about it or whether I’m doing television, it’s a real passion for me so yeah, I take my work home.
George Clarke will be appearing at this year’s Ideal Home Show, which takes place between 15 March – 1 April at Bristol’s Earls Court.
You can buy tickets using our discount code here.
Follow @AboutUs on Twitter and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter.
