Escape to the Country fans slam celebrity spin-off show as it's unwatchable'

29 December 2023 , 12:21

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Escape to the Country fans slam celebrity spin-off show as it's unwatchable'

Viewers of Escape to the Country have voiced their fury after watching the first celebrity version of the show.

The celebrity version took viewers on the journey of Strictly Come Dancing's professional dancers Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec as they search for their dream home outside of city life. But fans were far from impressed and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their disappointment and branded it "out of touch" and "condescending."

One fan wrote: "Just because you can make a celebrity version doesn't mean you should!" Another person commented that it was "out of touch" and "condescending" to show "two rich celebrities shopping for houses that are pushing £1m on a property show at 7pm on the BBC."

The Strictly pros are in search of a property in the countryside (BBC)

A third slammed the show saying: "Our licence fee is paying for their house in the f*****g country!!! Talk about rubbing it in our noses! Who the f*** commissioned this?!!" But it wasn't just the fact that the spin-off featured celebrities, fans also fumed over the properties that were shown in the episode.

Taking to the social media platform, another person said: "Nothing about this episode is watchable. And please explain why 'celebrities' need help finding properties?" A second person added:"Switching off from this show already, there's nothing interesting about it, and these houses are hideous."

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Janette and Aljaz are just two out of a host of stars who are set to join the spin-off show including Christopher Biggins, The Chase's quiz master Jenny Ryan and Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker. Julie Shaw, Commissioning Editor, BBC Daytime and Factual, said: "Escape to the Country has been a staple in the BBC daytime schedule for 21 years. Audiences love this programme and watching the journeys the house-hunters go on, so it was about time we got to go house hunting with some famous faces. I can’t wait for this to land in the schedules."

Janette and Aljaz sit down with a property expert to look for a family home (BBC)

Back in November this year, the broadcaster announced that for the first time the daytime show will add a celebrity version. The spin-off is comprised of five episodes. The show first aired in 2002 and has been the BBC's longest running property show, which showcases rural Britain's idyllic property market. In the usual format, participants look to quit their urban lifestyle and are in search of a home in the country. Guided by the property experts including Nicki Chapman and Alastair Appleton, buyers have to decide whether or not to swap the busy life of a city for the tranquil environment of the country.

The spin-off explores the landscapes and lifestyles of the Home Counties, Cheshire, the Peak District, Lancashire, Kent and Sussex. John Comerford, Head of Naked West production company, said: "We love helping prospective rural dwellers find their dream homes and we’re delighted the BBC have commissioned this special series giving us all an insight into our favourite celebrities’ lives as they look to swap the city for a new home in the country."

Lucretia Munro