Entertainment
Escape to The Country couple left in tears over BBC rule-break-Kitty Chrisp-Entertainment – Metro
That was unexpected.
Escape to the Country broke a big rule on yesterday’s episode (Picture: BBC)
The BBC’s Escape to the Country broke their cardinal rule in a recent episode.
House-hunting hopefuls Maryan and Michael lived in a bungalow on the Isle of Wight, but fed up of getting a ferry to work and seeking a wilder existence, the couple set their sights on creating their idyllic rural life in the Scottish Highlands, and specifically the Cairngorms National Park.
Not only were they seeking their dream property, but the couple hoped to turn their mountain biking hobby into a business and set up a hub on the land of their new Scottish home.
With a £650,000 budget, their ideal property would have a minimum of three bedrooms, bike storage, a workshop, a large plot of land, and a staircase for Maryan, who was sick of bungalow living.
The first property was an old school house from 1875, with five bedrooms, and 0.75 acres of land set in the Cairngorms National Park near Glenshee, Perth and Kinross.
Sitting just off a busy road, its location had good business potential.
The first house Maryan and Michael looked at was an old school (Picture: BBC)
But it was the second house that left Maryan in tears, as she entered the property and was faced with a beautiful wooden staircase.
Contrary to Escape to the Country’s rules though, the house was actually slap bang in the middle of Grantown-on-Spey.
While presenter Jules Hudson admitted this was an unusual choice for the show, he thought the location would help get their business noticed. Plus, it certainly blew the couple away.
‘Really, showing them this property, in a town, on Escape to the Country, might be a gamble but it might pay off,’ he said.
Maryan had always wanted a staircase (Picture: BBC)
She was reduced to tears by the hallway sights in house number two (Picture: BBC)
Except, this house wasn’t in the countryside at all – but in a town (Picture: BBC)
With five bedrooms, the huge property retained its original Edwardian features with fireplaces in an array of reception rooms, and even boasted a built-in drinks cabinet.
The kitchen was fresh from a bright and airy refurbishment, combining Maryan’s love of traditional features with Micheal’s hankering for modern designs.
‘You’ve got a staircase dear,’ Michael said, stepping into the property, as Maryan responded by wiping away a tear and clasping her mouth: ‘Quite an emotional staircase,’ she agreed.
The couple were gobsmacked when they heart the cost was £560,000 – well below their budget.
But it was the mystery house that kept the couple’s dreams alive, with its sprawling 10 acres (Picture: BBC)
‘When I walked through the front door I was taken aback by the splendor and greatness of the hallway,’ Maryan said.
‘This property immediately gave me that feeling of being home and hugged,’ she continued.
The third mystery house, built in around 1870, came with a quirky inside and 10 acres of outside space, as well as an indoor pool, steam room, and sauna.
It’s four bedrooms, ample potential stomping ground and various outbuildings made this offering £30,000 more than the Edwardian build.
In the end, the staircase and built-in drinks cabinet wasn’t enough: the couple couldn’t get the third house out of their minds.
With its vast acreage in the, ahem, countryside and blank canvas potential, the pair knew they could make it their own.
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