Why the nation needs the return of Changing Rooms - Catherine Scott

With many people on furlough and with more time on their hands and unable to have workmen in the home, they became DIYers.

I know my husband became a painter, decorator, plumber and electrician – to greater and lesser success as I have mentioned in this column before.

But never to miss an opportunity, the television-makers at Channel 4 have seen an opportunity to remake an old classic.

Hot on the return of the old cooking favourite Ready, Steady, Cook – iconic home makeover show Changing Rooms is set to be back on our screens.

The original nineties show saw two homeowners from the same neighbourhood work against the clock helped by interiors experts to transform a room in each others homes. They may not share the same tastes but they are completely in charge or creating a new look for the chosen room. What could possibly go wrong? It was car-crash telly, but the nation loved it.

Gone is the original host Carol Smilie replaced by Davina McCall who will be joined by interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who was on the original 
programme when it was broadcast from 1997 to 2004.

The original series also featured Sheffield interior designer Linda Barker, and although she has said she is excited to see its return she has not confirmed whether she will appear. Neither have the other stalwarts including ‘Handy’ Andy Kane and Anna Ryder Richardson.

But what can be assured is that there will be plenty of MDF, clashing colours and tears. It is pretty much what the country needs at the moment, escapism with a bit of reality thrown in for good measure while being able to criticise someone’s choice of curtains.

I just hope LLB will be sporting some of those flouncy sleeves, velvet jackets and leather trousers.

If Linda Barker is in it I think she might think twice about including floating shelves again.

In one episode – infamously known as the ‘teapot incident’ – she chose to put a couple’s large collection of teapots on ‘floating’ shelves.

However, tragedy ensued when someone decided to add some books which overloaded the shelves and the entire lot smashed to the floor shattering every single teapot. Barker has admitted that the incident has ‘haunted’ her ever since.

Other home makeover shows have followed, but Changing Rooms was the original and I just hope the reboot is a good.