When Grand Designs was first pitched in the 1990s, Channel 4 bosses weren't convinced Kevin McCloud was the right person to front it.
"They said, 'We don't mind the format, don't like the title and don't think the presenter's right for Channel 4,'" he said. "But they did commit to it and we've been there ever since."
That commitment has turned into a TV juggernaut.
As Grand Designs heads towards its 30th anniversary in 2027 [it started filming in 1997 and premiered in April 1999], Kevin, 65, is still at the helm, guiding audiences through some of the most ambitious and unconventional home builds in the UK.
The show's success has been a pleasant surprise for Kevin.
"Longevity is a rare thing in telly," he said. "I still have a job. It's amazing after all this time."
Among the most striking projects this series is a floating home designed by Sarah, an innovative build that reconnects its occupants with nature.
"It's like a spaceship - it's a building that responds to the universe" Kevin said. "The wind blows at the side of it and pushes it around, the tide lifts it out of the mud and back down again twice a day - they're driven by the sun and the moon."
Another standout story is that of an 82-year-old widow who embarks on a project to construct a home in memory of her architect husband.
[https://magtag.magzter.com/n_api/magtag/2032740/extractedimages/88/3312311714.jpg?timestamp=1742629649906]
After decades in a 1930s semi-detached house in north London, she enlists the help of young architect James.
"It's really about exploring what a buildin...
"They said, 'We don't mind the format, don't like the title and don't think the presenter's right for Channel 4,'" he said. "But they did commit to it and we've been there ever since."
That commitment has turned into a TV juggernaut.
As Grand Designs heads towards its 30th anniversary in 2027 [it started filming in 1997 and premiered in April 1999], Kevin, 65, is still at the helm, guiding audiences through some of the most ambitious and unconventional home builds in the UK.
The show's success has been a pleasant surprise for Kevin.
"Longevity is a rare thing in telly," he said. "I still have a job. It's amazing after all this time."
Among the most striking projects this series is a floating home designed by Sarah, an innovative build that reconnects its occupants with nature.
"It's like a spaceship - it's a building that responds to the universe" Kevin said. "The wind blows at the side of it and pushes it around, the tide lifts it out of the mud and back down again twice a day - they're driven by the sun and the moon."
Another standout story is that of an 82-year-old widow who embarks on a project to construct a home in memory of her architect husband.
[https://magtag.magzter.com/n_api/magtag/2032740/extractedimages/88/3312311714.jpg?timestamp=1742629649906]
After decades in a 1930s semi-detached house in north London, she enlists the help of young architect James.
"It's really about exploring what a buildin...
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Daily Record (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 22, 2025